


It's so easy, yet so hard

by yanniwrites



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Dorks in Love, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Falling In Love, Fluff, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Character Death, Sad with a Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-01-25 05:22:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 30,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12523940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yanniwrites/pseuds/yanniwrites
Summary: It's easy to fall in love, yet so hard to understand it.Leo has to find that out the hard way, when he starts to feel more and more attracted to the Hoshidian second prince, Takumi. They might have joined forces, but he is still an insufferable guy, so why does he seem to like him so much?As they fight alongside each other, he tries to forget about his feelings, but it's very hard, when he sees him struggle and wants to help him...(This story follows some of the events of Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation, but are also altered partly)





	1. Beauty lies in serenity

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry the summary of this story is so horrible and weird, but I honestly don't know how else to summerize it. If you clicked on this story, even though the summery is such a disaster, I wish you lots of fun reading it and I apologize in case you don't like it after all.  
> I don't often post on here. That is because I am actually very slow with writing and rereading it. I do all the editing myself, so I guess that's another reason why I'm so slow.  
> I'm also sorry about that. However I do thank all the people who actually read my stories and perhaps even like them.  
> Thank you very much.

It is hard to get on good terms with somebody you would have never thought to ever have to get on good terms with. It is especially hard when the person doesn’t even make an attempt on getting on good terms with one another.  
However, it is even harder to realize that you have developed a crush on that person.  
For the sake of harmony in the army, they wanted to at least be able to live besides each other without threatening said harmony.

 

“Let’s make a deal. You stay away from me and I stay away from you. Think you can manage?”  
He had thought that after having said that they would be able to uphold harmony.  
Yet, the task of avoiding each other seemed a lot easier to implement than it actually was. Their reluctance for one another seemed mutual in the beginning, so it should have been simple to do, but somehow Leo couldn’t get himself to hate him as much as he had intended to and even started finding himself interested in the Hoshidian second prince he had expected to dislike so much. Perhaps it was just the fact that it was inevitable to run into each other in as limited of a space as the Astral Plane that made him rethink his view on Takumi at times. But perhaps it was the fact that they could understand each other so well in battle. Maybe that might have been because their lives were at stake, but it was more than pleasant to fight alongside Takumi. He was swift and seemed to be incredibly well trained in terms of reading the battlefield. It felt as if they were starting to connect through fighting side by side, which already started making it harder to dislike him.

 

He would have said that he definitely trusted him and merely didn’t like him a lot as a person.  
However, all of that wouldn’t have left Leo in the state of interest for the Hoshidian prince, in which he was currently finding himself. 

 

He was pretty sure his interest in him was sparked, when Niles had pointed out how ‘royal’ Takumi actually looked. At first Leo didn’t quite comprehend what he meant by ‘looking royal’, but as soon as he started observing him in battle, he felt like he understood what his retainer meant.  
He looked very elegant and honestly quite beautiful, too. His shots were incredibly precise, yet he made shooting look so easy, since he remained so calm while doing so.  
While he charged aggressively into battle, he remained with a certain sense of serenity as soon as it came to shooting. Even though, he didn’t quite agree, he could grasp that this was probably what Niles had meant by ‘looking royal’; the sense of serenity he gave off. 

 

At least that was what Leo had thought until the day they were all heading to Gyges, under Anthony’s lead; when the bridge they were crossing suddenly collapsed. Now, that he looked back, it was probably Anthony’s intention that one of them would fall, but all it became, was a very awkward situation. When the bridge collapsed, all he could see was Takumi pushing Sakura away from him, so that she could get to land safely. And after that, without putting any second thought into it, he had already grabbed Takumi’s hand and pulled him up. It felt like more of a reflex than an intentional action. It was that time that he realized he had started trusting him as an ally, which wasn’t actually a bad feeling. It felt like he could make peace with a Hoshidian he would have never thought he could make peace with.

 

When he pulled him up, however, he somehow lost his footing and stumbled backwards, while pulling the Hoshidian prince with him. The silver haired landed on him, which was the first time, he ever seemed to look shocked. Nevertheless, he was very quickly able to compose himself again and pushed some strands of hair back as he crawled down from him and thanked him almost disbelievingly. It was that very moment Takumi actually looked ’royal’ to him and that very moment Leo finally grasped what Niles was telling him for a long time already.  
The Hoshidian prince had a beautiful face in general, but it was quite something else seeing it up close. His amber eyes lit up, like gems, in the light of the sun as he pushed his hair out of his face. 

 

He could quickly compose himself, even in a situation as nerve-wrecking as this one, which was somehow a very attractive trait. But that was not what made him look royal; it was the way he carried himself right afterwards; the way he regularly charged into battle again, the way he helped keep the other soldiers safe and the way he would slightly smile as he shot a rapidly approaching Pegasus knight.

 

Yet, even though it felt like they had made peace with each other on political terms through that incident, on human terms it felt like anything but.  
Leo hated himself for finding Takumi so attractive and it seemed like Takumi found it just as awkward to be around him afterwards, even though he wouldn’t show it directly.  
They both gave it their best to stay as far away from each other as soon as that was the case, but it wasn’t the best feeling to see him; especially because the blond could feel the heat shoot in his face as soon as he did. He was pretty sure that Takumi wasn’t even that interesting of a person; it was just his face that Leo had grown fond of.  
He was starting to get exhausted by that, but quite frankly didn’t really know what to do against it. He couldn’t just tell him to leave, whenever they just happened to be at the same place. 

 

Leo stared out of the window as he chewed his food. Elise had observed him the entire time they had been sitting together at breakfast, almost as if she expected his face to suddenly melt. He had decided to ignore that, until she pointed her fork at him and said: “You know you’ve become more sociable since you’re here.”  
He raised an eyebrow. He had never been too unsociable. He just chose his company wisely; unlike her or Corrin, who both naturally trusted everybody. “Have I ever been unsociable?” he replied asking, which made his sister burst out in laughter. “You’ve gotta be kidding! Just thinking about how you’ve treated the Hoshidians when you came to help us with Iago, makes me believe that you’re a completely different person now!” she laughed. 

 

He didn’t see a reason as to why he shouldn’t have treated them like that. He was just right with what he had said. If it weren’t true, the Hoshidians hadn’t been so mad. Moreover, the battlefield had been a mess, when they arrived. It wasn’t coordinated at all, but that might have been because it was Corrin who had put up the strategy and she had never been good at these kinds of things. “I haven’t said anything that wasn’t true. With the whole Hoshidian royalty by your side, you should have been capable of defeating a half-assed mage like Iago without our help. I can’t believe these guys were giving you such a hard time,” he replied, which made his sister laugh even more. “There it is again!” 

 

For a while he just watched his sister laugh, not capable of holding up her fork and almost falling form her chair, until she steadily calmed down. She wiped her laughing tears as she slowly caught her breath. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I actually wanted to praise you for being so nice to the Hoshidians now. Sakura-chan told me that you’re always very attentive and I think you’ve even made peace with Hinoka-san, haven’t you?” she said, while still chuckling. 

 

She should be proud of him. It has partly been pretty hard to make peace with the Hoshidian royalty. All in all, he could say that Princess Sakura was a rather nice person. She might have been pretty scared of him at first, but he had figured that fear was in her nature after he could observe her jump half a meter high, when her retainer started talking to her from behind. Since she quickly became good friends with Elise, he could say that it was easiest talking to her. Crown Prince Ryoma was rather reasonable, too and since he had become such good friends with Xander, it became easier and easier to talk to him every time. 

The only two people he had more problems with were Princess Hinoka and Takumi. However, while Hinoka was still a very good-willed person and pretty nice as soon as she got warmer with somebody, Takumi was everything but.  
The first time they talked to each other, he had been hostile in more than just one way, which was also infuriating in more than just one way. The fact that he started liking his face, made him so mad at himself on top of that. 

 

Suddenly he saw a fork in front of his face again. He looked back at Elise. “But you’re just never talking to Takumi-nii. How come? I began thinking that you started to get along,” she asked, as if that wasn’t a completely stupid question. The reason he didn’t talk to him was more than obvious. She should have noticed, too, how awkward the situation back then, on their way to Gyges, was. 

 

“Why would I talk to a guy like him?” he replied annoyed, making his sister tilt her head. “Why would you not? You’ve got so much in common. Plus, you already have talked to each other, you just… kinda stopped. What happened?” she answered questioning. He was pretty sure they hadn’t talked too much already, but also knew that his protests would be overheard. “In what way am I similar to a brat like him?” he asked in a dark voice. 

 

Elise laughed. “He has this expression, too. Wait, I can imitate it,” she stated, before placing her arms on the table and resting her head on the backs of both her hands. Then she frowned for a minute or two, before quickly getting back to her smiling expression. “I call it the ‘everybody is an idiot, except me’-frown and I found someone who inherits it apart from you,” she laughed. It felt a little like he was being mocked. He never thought that everybody was an idiot, but as soon as the ability to rationally think and examine was missing, it was getting hard for him to not think that a person was at least being slightly foolish. 

 

“But back to your question,” Elise started over, finally willing to answer his question. “You share a lot of interests. I know that. I’ve talked to him. I tried playing chess with him, but he rejected. Yet still, he’s been pretty fascinated by the concept of it, so I bet he’d like it. He just doesn’t want to admit it. You could show him, don’t you think?” she suggested. Leo narrowed his eyes, but quickly turned his head away from her. He certainly wouldn’t want to be alone with him in one room, while playing chess. That would be way too awkward. Sooner or later, he would have to look at him and he couldn’t bear looking at his face and thinking how pretty it actually was. 

 

“I don’t play with beginners,” he stated, making Elise sigh. “If you’re not going to play with him, you’re not going to play with anybody. No one likes playing against you, if you’re always winning,” she answered snippy. Where was the difference, if he played against a beginner, who would lose, or anybody else, who would lose?  
Once again, he saw Elise’s fork right in front of his face. “Anyway, there’s more than just that,” she carried on passionately.  
“Don’t you like history; especially of battling? He does, too. I brought him books about it and he found them very interesting. He didn’t want to admit it, but I saw him read them, after I left them at his room. It looks similar to yours by the way. There’s books everywhere, yet it’s still tidy. How are you guys doing that?” she said enthusiastically. 

 

Leo exhaled. All he heard her say was that Takumi didn’t even want to admit that anything Nohrian could be of interest to him. What would he do with him then? He hated to break things to her, but that just wasn’t how the world worked. Even if their interests were similar, it didn’t mean that they would like each other. There were probably a lot of things that they didn’t share. 

“Those are just minor similarities, Elise. It doesn’t make us friends. Moreover, how come you’ve gotten to like him so much? Does he even talk to you?” he questioned. He never talked to any of the Nohrians; of that he was sure. Perhaps he didn’t even talk to a lot of Hoshidians. By what he had seen, he would say that the only people he ever talked to were his siblings, his retainers and occasionally Jakob, Felicia, or Flora. 

 

“He does. It always takes a little until he warms up, but then he talks quite a lot. He’s like you in terms of that,” she stated. Not again! She couldn’t find that many similarities. Probably they didn’t even exist and she just imagined them, because she wanted them to be friends. He wasn’t like that, either. It doesn’t take too much time for him to warm up to someone and he gladly talks to everybody; at least most of the time. 

 

“A lot he says reminds me of you. I bet the two of you would enjoy talking to each other,” she stated, which made her brother frown. “And about what, for example?” he replied asking. The blond girl smiled at him as if she was waiting for him to ask that question. “Literature, strategy, or battle history. Leo, you know exactly that you could talk for hours about history and you should also know that, at some point, no one wants to listen to you anymore, but with Takumi you could finally have someone that would actually listen to you and would know how to respond. You might even learn a thing or two yourself,” she noted happily.  
If he had to be honest, he would say that what she said did sound very nice; especially because there weren’t a lot of people that he could ever talk to about these kinds of things. However, talking to Takumi about his interests and hobbies wouldn’t get him to have fun, like his sisters stated. 

He sighed. 

 

“What are you two talking about?” he heard Camilla’s voice from behind, before she sat down next to him.  
“Takumi-nii!” Elise answered rapidly. 

They didn’t talk about him; only she talked about him, trying to persuade her poor brother that they had anything in common. He peeked at Camilla, who smiled genuinely. “He’s a lot like Leo, isn’t he? He’s even as cute as him. They’re almost like twins,” she jumped right into the topic. 

She couldn’t be serious! 

Camilla should be sensible enough to realize that they weren’t similar. 

 

Elise started laughing. “Right, they’re the twins. That’s what I said, too, but he refuses to believe me,” she stated. He didn’t refuse to believe her; it was just a fact that what she said wasn’t true. He felt Camilla poke him in the cheek. “Sweetie, you gotta believe your wise sister. She knows better than you,” she told him. Leo rolled his eyes. There was no way he would be able to fight both of them with rationality. If his sisters had their minds set on something, he wouldn’t be able to convince them otherwise. He probably would have to present proof to them, if he wanted to convince them. Just finding proof was difficult, if it was Takumi. He practically knew nothing about him. He was so passive. The only things he knew about him was that he was an archer and the stuff his sister has just told him and well… that he was gorgeous. 

 

However, seeing that as valid information was probably not a good idea. He sighed silently, which made Camilla grab him quickly and pull him closer to a hug. “Oh, Sweetie, have we upset you? Please don’t be mad and just accept that we’re right,” she said in a sweet voice. Leo raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t quite sure, if she was actually trying to be nice and sensitive, or if she was just mocking him. He removed her from his waist, while sighing. 

 

“Please stop that, Camilla. At least you should put a little more thought into your assumption and think about how wrong it actually is,” he told her annoyed, before he sighed as it became clear to him again that trying to fight against them was like trying to fight against a wall. His big sister smirked at him. “Well, after having put thought into the topic, I came to the conclusion that you guys are twins. It’s super-cute,” she stated giggling, which made Elise laugh even more.  
He got up. “Do whatever you like. I’ll be off now,” he mumbled. He exited the dining hall and headed for the library. 

 

The library of the Astral Plane was amazing. Lilith had told him that its books were collected throughout thousands of years by her and other dragons. She had even mentioned that there were books about Valla and its history, which made it all the more exciting. 

However, since it was so big, those books were not easy to be found. Leo had already spent days of search and while he did find files in which Valla was still mentioned, back when it was still known among the royalty of Hoshido and Nohr, he couldn’t find any specific Vallite books up until now, which was frustrating considering he had even started to learn the Vallite language and scripture in order to even be able to read them. Those types of books were the only ones of which he had found plenty in the library. 

 

With Niles’ and Odin’s help, he estimated that they had searched about a third of the library up until now. It might have only been a third of it, because he kept on getting distracted and started reading the titles he had found to sound interesting, which frustrated him to the core, since he did want to find documents about Valla, but he also wanted to learn more about Hoshido and other places in the world.  
However, even though the search was frustrating at times, Leo couldn’t think of anything that could fill him with more joy. So early in the morning, it was the best. The morning sun was shining through the windows and dipped the shelves into a pinkish tone. The books, though old, looked so fresh and colorful in this kind of light that it made him eager to pick up one after the other and start reading. It was beautiful.

 

Slightly, he winced as he saw the silhouette of a woman standing in front of one of the shelves he was about to look through.  
That sure was different from the usual early view he got of the interior of the library. Slowly he walked towards her. A shock of blue hair was the first thing to flash at him as soon as he got closer, making him realize that it was Oboro. 

 

She had a pile of books in her hand and was struggling to reach another one.  
“Do you need help?” he asked, making her wince. She looked at him slightly shocked, before taking a step back. “Ah… oh… it’s you…” she mumbled startled. She peeked at the shelf, before standing up straight. “Yes, that would be nice,” she said unsure. As Leo stepped closer, she pointed at the top shelf. “Would you get me the book with the reddish cover, please?” she asked politely.  
Leo smiled at her, before he reached out for the book. He slightly looked at its title, making his eyes widen in disbelief.  
It said: “Creatures and their habitat” in Vallite. This must have been a legitimate Vallite book. He looked at Oboro in bewilderment. 

 

Could she even read this?

 

If so, then he wasn’t the only one to have the idea of learning more about this forgotten land and its culture.  
Gods, he was eager to read this. Finally!  
But he couldn’t just ask her to give it to him. That would be way too selfish and he was sure that he didn’t hold that kind of authority over her, either. 

 

“Uh… c-can you read this?” he asked unsure, which made her chuckle. “It flatters me that you think so highly of me as to assume I would be able to read this,” she noted. “No, I’m just collecting them for Milord.”  
“I see…” the blond answered murmuring. So, apparently Takumi was eager to find out more about Valla and its history as well. Not that it was important, but it did make Leo wonder, whether or not he might be able to find more books of this sort with his help. If it weren’t for the fact that it was so damn awkward to be around Takumi, he probably wouldn’t even think about it anymore and talk to him right away.

 

“Uh, Prince Leo…?” he heard her voice again, making him slightly wince as he startled from his thoughts. She looked at him asking. “Are you okay? You look a little distracted,” she asked almost worried, making him shake his head. “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. Uh… is there anything else I could help you with?” he quickly changed the subject. Oboro’s expression lit up, before she showed him a list. “Could you help me fetch the last two of these books? I know more or less where they are, but it’s hard to distinguish Vallite scripture from Nohrian scripture for me,” she asked. Leo smiled at her. He didn’t quite expect her to actually take that offer, but of course he was ready to help her. “Yeah, sure…” he said as he took a closer look at the list. 

 

Apart from “Creatures and their habitat” and another title, there was unfortunately no more Vallite books on the entire list. The rest was Nohrian.  
He took some of the books she was carrying so that she wouldn’t have to carry them all by herself. Oboro led him to one of the shelves where the books were supposed to be found. “Uh, I think it was this one,” she pointed at the book titled “No curse in the written”. Leo started looking around together with her. 

 

“By the way, is that Nohrian, or Vallite?” she asked unsure. The blond slightly peeked at her, but then smirked. “It’s Vallite. It says ‘No curse in the written’,” he stated. The blue haired made an understanding sound, before she started looking at him asking. “You can read that?” she asked stunned. Leo smirked as he nodded. “I started learning it so I could read the Vallite books Lilith has told me about. However, it seems like I have been way less successful in finding them than Prince Takumi, since I couldn’t find any Vallite book up until now,” he told her, making her chuckle in reply. 

 

“You sound just like Milord. He learned it for the same reason,” she stated, which made Leo startle. He didn’t ‘sound’ like him. How could she make such a broad statement?  
“But don’t worry. Milord wasn’t that much more successful than you. These are the only books about Valla that he could find up until now and he only could with Lilith’s help to begin with,” she said. 

 

Lilith’s help!  
How could he have been so blind and never even think about asking her for help in his search? Apparently she did know some titles still!  
Leo closed his eyes and sighed soundly as he laid his head against the shelf. He couldn’t believe he never even thought of something so logical. 

 

Oboro laid her hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?” she asked concerned, making him chuckle a little. “Yeah… I’m fine. I just realized how dumb I am. I could have just asked Lilith, but I didn’t even think of that,” he mumbled embarrassed.  
The blue haired laughed. “Don’t worry about that. Milord wouldn’t have thought of that either. Hinata pointed that out to him yesterday after he had started to be annoyed by the search. Sometimes the most logical of ideas just don’t come to the smartest of people. You’d have to be a bit more simple-minded for it,” she stated laughing. Leo started laughing slightly as well. “Well, that’s good I guess,” he answered chuckling.

 

He sighed once more as he opened his eyes to see a thin manuscript in front of his eyes, which said: “No curse in the written”. He picked it up and looked at it. It seemed rather old already, but this was probably what they were looking for.  
“Have you found it?” Oboro asked excited. 

He nodded, while opening it. It was handwritten and seemed a lot more like a guide, or… a journal, rather than an actual book.  
It already started out so personally…

 

“This kingdom is doomed. It is doomed along with me. My inability to keep myself in check in order to save the world strikes me in these days. It is for that sole reason that I cannot have my existence be forgotten for that I will return! And I will no longer be able to hold onto my human form such as you, my dearest friends, have mastered. I am asking of you nothing, but to not let my kingdom be forgotten. The curse shall be lifted in scripture, so that at least royalty will be able to seek out this place and change it for the better… like I could not.”

 

Leo groaned lost in thoughts. This sure was thought-provoking. It seemed like a letter, but what it exactly was remained a mystery from this first passage.  
Slowly, but very unwillingly he handed it to Oboro, who looked at him with a questioning look on her face.  
“What does it say? You look like you’ve seen a ghost after having read a bit,” she stated. Leo tilted his head lost in thoughts.  
“It’s a letter. The language used is old but very personal, it seems. I’m guessing it’s from a former king of Valla, but I’m not sure,” he mumbled. Oboro made an understanding sound. “That’s why he wanted to have it…” she noted silently, before looking at her list again. Leo raised an eyebrow. 

 

Suddenly, she startled and looked at him again. “Ah… there’s one more book we need to find,” she stated as if she wanted to remind herself about it. She headed for another shelf to which he followed her slowly, while still thinking about the content of the letter. 

 

She stopped abruptly and took a look at the list once again. “Let’s see… ‘Wind…mire’…” she mumbled stressed, which made Leo look over her shoulder. “Windmire – a capital of color,” he read the title of the book out to her. She smiled at him.  
“Thank you. I’m still not very good at reading Nohrian. That’s why it’s so hard to distinguish between Nohrian and Vallite to me, I guess. Milord has already gotten very good, though,” she stated. The blond smiled at her.  
She seemed like a very warm-hearted person. It was almost unbelievable to think that she was a retainer to Takumi of all people.  
They started searching the shelf.

 

“By the way, Prince Leo…” Oboro started out after a while, making him slightly peek at her. She turned her face towards him and smiled. “You and Milord Takumi are very similar, aren’t you? Have you ever talked to each other?” she asked genuinely, making him wince. 

 

What the hell?! How could she say something like that? She had no idea!

 

“What makes you think that?” he asked in reply. The blue haired tilted her head as if she didn’t expect him to answer in that manner. “Uh, well…” she began. “I-it’s just…”  
She started blushing and smiled to the ground. “The way you talk, the way you move… and from what Niles told me about you… it reminds me a lot of him,” she mumbled silently as if she felt his displeasure. She quickly turned her look back at the shelf.

 

After a bit of silence, she made a surprised sound. She pulled a book out of the shelf. “That’s it!” she noted happily as she held it in front of Leo’s face. “That’s it, right?” she made sure once more, making him nod. Oboro smiled genuinely at him, before she bowed. “Thank you very much for your help, Prince Leo,” she said appreciative. He lightly smirked in reply. “Don’t mention it,” he answered. She took the books he had been carrying for her and bowed once again, before she turned around on her heel and went off.

 

For a while he looked after her, until she turned around the corner.  
Slightly he groaned. He looked at the shelf in front of him and started randomly pulling out a book without even thinking about it. For a while he flipped through the pages of what seemed to be a book about weapons and legendary weapons, until he stopped at a page about bows and yumis. A drawing of a golden bow with a Kinshi carving was depicted. It wrote “Pursuer” right next to it.  
He laid his head on the shelf and groaned annoyed.

 

“Why do you never talk to him? You share a lot of interests,” Elise’s words were repeating in his head. He knew he wanted to prove to his sisters that he didn’t have anything in common with Takumi, but apparently reading was an interest they shared…  
And on top of that, it wasn’t only Elise who had said that, but also Camilla. He couldn’t believe his sisters didn’t know him well enough to see how different they were.  
“He’s a lot like you.”  
“You have so much in common.”  
Everything they said echoed in his head, along with Oboro saying that he reminded her of him.  
And while looking at this drawing of a weapon in this book, all he could think of was him. 

 

How bothersome.

 

Once again, Leo sighed soundly. “I can’t believe they said that to me. I have nothing in common with that imbecile! Just because Takumi and I are both royalty doesn’t mean we’re anything alike. Ugh!” he tried to convince himself.

 

“Muttering to yourself, Prince Leo? What’s the matter? Couldn’t find anyone else willing to talk to you?” he heard a familiar voice behind him, making him wince and turn around to see Takumi carrying a little book in his hand. “You! I didn’t know you were there. Why were you eavesdropping?” he replied boldly, while trying not to look at him too closely. The silver haired sighed annoyed. 

 

“I forgot to put another book on Oboro’s list, so I wanted to get it myself and then I heard you and well…” he started out, before sighing once again and stating: “It all sounded a bit too familiar. It seems we’ll both be hearing that same joke for a while.”  
Leo’s eyebrow twitched as he peeked at him scantly. 

 

“My sisters are calling us ‘the twins’! We can’t let them treat us this way! They’re wrong!” he said almost exhausted as he started feeling more and more pathetic for not being able to look at him properly. He hated how he would start blushing by merely seeing his pretty face. However, even though it was Takumi of all people, who he was talking to about this subject, at least he was on his side with this one.  
The silver haired exhaled just as exhausted as him as he heard his statement. 

 

“Of course they are! You and I couldn’t be more different!” he replied supportively. That was the type of support he needed, regardless whether or not it was from him. Leo smiled slightly, but quickly got back to a serious expression. “Exactly! I wouldn’t come near you with a ten-foot pole,” he said, which made Takumi looked at him seriously and boldly reply: “Twenty-foot pole!”

 

The blond smirked amused. “Thirty, even!” he answered slightly provoked, before stopping for a moment and thinking.  
Now that he was already here, they could as well engage in some kind of dialogue. That might be the perfect way to finally cleanse himself from this irrational feeling of being riveted by Takumi’s looks. On top of that he would be able to prove his sisters wrong. He could certainly ask him about his interests, hobbies or even the food he liked. There was no way they would be that similar.

 

“Hey, since you’re here, may I ask you something? What’s your favorite food” he questioned, making Takumi look at him asking. He looked around, as if he expected someone to watch them, until he slightly shook his head. “I’m sorry, but what?!” he answered confused.  
Leo chuckled. Somehow he was cute like this. 

 

It might have been a banal question, but if Camilla even called them ‘twins’, she should better be very sure about that kind of statement. Sharing some minor similarities, like an interest for books wasn’t the same as being ‘twins’.  
“They say that people with similar personalities like the same things,” Leo replied casually, which made Takumi groan understanding. “I like miso soup,” he said slowly as he seemed to drift into thoughts.  
Leo winced. That sure sounded foreign. Perhaps, his knowledge about Hoshido wasn’t as wide as he had made it out to be.

 

“Mee-so soup…?” he mumbled asking, which seemingly made Takumi startle from his thoughts as well. “Yeah. It’s a Hoshidian dish. Got a problem with that?” he asked almost annoyed, making Leo narrow his eyes. “No. My favorite food is beef stew. It’s kind of like a soup,” he mumbled in reply, as he already started thinking about another thing he might be able to ask him.

 

“What kind of books do you read?” Takumi asked, before the blond could think of any question himself. His thoughts were quickly drawn to the letter Oboro had taken with her. That surely was the thing he desired most reading right now, but it sure wasn’t the type of thing he liked to read in general. “I read all kinds of things, but I have a passion for history,” he murmured lost in thoughts at the letter. Takumi let out a huge sigh, but questioned further: “Is it… because you love to study the strategy behind past battles?”

 

That sure sounded like a great passion of his was shared with this guy. It was unbelievable. He couldn’t possibly start liking this guy for the content of his character as well.  
“Gods, don’t tell me… Do you like to read history books, too?” he mumbled almost embarrassed. 

 

“Yes, but I’m sure our hobbies are different,” the Hoshidian stated attempting to find a field of interest in which they might finally differ.  
“Well…” Leo started out, before taking a scant look at the books. “My favorite game is chess. It’s a tactical board game, where-”  
“I know chess. We have a similar game in Hoshido. It’s called shogi,” Takumi cut him off. For a moment the blond looked at him bugged, since he surely didn’t appreciate being cut off so abruptly.  
However, then he remembered Elise’s words, of how she had shown him the game and how he had seemed rather interested in it, so perhaps he was at fault for having been willing to elaborate the topic. Once more he sighed, before he asked: “And do you like to play this ‘show-gee’ thing?” Takumi crossed his arms in front of his chest and let out a short sigh. “I’m the best shogi player in my family,” he mumbled, as if he hated to admit that. 

 

How could this be? It couldn’t be that Elise was actually right!  
“I can’t believe it. Who would have guessed we had so much in common,” he murmured, while trying not to think of Elise’s bold smirk that she always got as soon as she had been proven to be right. 

 

The silver haired laughed scantly, before he leaned against the shelf. “I don’t know, but I tell you – it’s hard to hate someone with such excellent taste,” he noted, while for the first time genuinely smiling at him. Leo blushed slightly. He sure had a pretty smile as soon as it was this genuine and not completely smug, but that could have also merely been because he was so good-looking in general.

 

Leo exhaled and smiled back at him. “No kidding. I was about to say the exact same thing. Hm… maybe we should do this again sometime,” he replied. Again, Takumi laughed. “Oh? So now you want to be best friends?” he asked mockingly, making the blond chuckle.  
“Of course not. That will never happen,” he said.  
“Never!” the Hoshidian responded calm, as his eyes started moving to the shelf. 

 

He stopped leaning against it and pulled out a book, before looking at the small book he had carried with him before already. He held it out to him with a serious expression. “I found this sometime ago… but I think you might want to read it first. I read some passages. The rest I skimmed through,” he murmured, which made Leo raise an eyebrow as he slowly took the little book. 

 

He looked at it shortly with an asking expression on his face. Then he looked back at Takumi, who walked off, after slightly nodding at him.  
As he went off, Leo mustered the tiny book once again. 

 

What was that for? Did he want to try to start being nice by giving him this thing? That sure was an awkward way of showing it.  
It didn’t even look like an actual book. It looked rather old and didn’t even have a title. The blond sighed, but flipped it open somewhere in the middle. It was handwritten, which merely confirmed his assumption that this wasn’t an actual book, but rather a journal. 

 

After having seen that letter he had already suspected that this library held a lot more than mere books from throughout the decades, but rather personal things that might have been royal property somewhere throughout history. Lilith had said that in the past dragons had often lived alongside royal families, similar to the way she had lived with them. Since it was the dragons to have collected the contents of this library, it could have very well been that they had collected letters, diaries and the likes, as well.  
Leo groaned thoughtfully, before he leaned against the shelf and started reading.

 

“Katerina is gone. It is hard to grasp that the woman I loved so dearly has left this earth forever. Perhaps that is, because I had still hoped for her recovery. However, I might also not have thought enough about what she meant to me, either. I might have taken her for granted too much.  
I didn’t realize that it was her who had been a motherly figure to all my children. Now that she is gone, it is not only Xander who asks after her more and more frequently.  
I was so blind…  
I am a horrible father. It is times like these that I should care about my children; but instead, I make them worry about me.”

 

Leo slightly winced reading that.  
They had mentioned Xander, and Katerina was the name of his mother on top of that. It could well be that this was all a mere coincidence, but it could also very well be that this was his father’s diary.  
The fact that Takumi gave it to him, saying that he should probably read it first, made sense then, if it actually did belong to his father. When Lady Katerina died, Father started retrieving more and more. It was painful to read about the sorrow King Garon had felt all this time. 

 

As a kid, he could never understand why his father never once cried about her loss. Now that he had grown up and seen the changes he had gone through, it had made him think that it was around that time King Garon had started to change.  
But that might not even have been the case, since he had probably suffered more than any of his children have back when Katerina died.  
Leo stopped leaning against the shelf, before he started skimming through the journal just to get more context and perhaps an answer as to whether or not this might actually be his father’s diary. 

 

“Leo!” he heard a voice behind him, which made him wince and let go of the book. He rapidly turned around, while still in shock, to see Xander smile at him. He started laughing. “Did I shock you?” he asked giggling. Leo raised an eyebrow. “Yes, very much,” he said, which made his brother chuckle once more. “My bad. I didn’t know you were so jumpy,” he stated. “Why are you here?” he asked him. For a moment he seemed to think about how to answer correctly. “Well, I came to eat breakfast with you guys, but when I arrived only Camilla and Elise were sitting there. They told me you had gone off ‘puffing with anger’,” he stated slightly amused. 

 

Leo narrowed his eyes. “Well, did they tell you why I was ‘puffing with anger’?” he asked back snippily, once more making his brother chuckle. “Of course, they did,” he noted calmly.  
Leo sighed, before he picked up the diary. “So… why are you here? And how did you know I was here?” he questioned. Xander exhaled as if he wanted to prepare for something terrible. 

 

“It was just a hunch. I know you like retrieving as soon as you’re stressed. And I know you’re calmest as soon as you’re reading. However, this place is huge. I wouldn’t have found you without help. Prince Takumi told me you would probably be around here,” he stated as he briefly looked at the shelf. “I’m here because I wanted to inform you that we are holding a war council tomorrow. We’ll have to plan out our next step carefully. I encourage you to come and please voice your opinion,” he stated calm. His little brother nodded scantly. Whenever Xander told him to challenge his ideas, Leo got rather self-aware. What if, one day, he would challenge his idea and they ended up in a huge mess, because of it?  
It would be his fault that they had lost so many soldiers.  
Furtively, he glanced at his older brother, who had started leaning against the shelf. 

 

The crown prince crossed his arms in front of his chest as he took a look at his little brother. “I am sorry, Leo,” he said silently, making him raise an eyebrow. “About what?” he replied confused. Xander looked at the ceiling. “The day is getting closer. The skies have already changed drastically, haven’t they? We will soon have to fight Anankos,” he stated. Leo twitched his eyebrow. It wasn’t like Xander to state the obvious. “Are you scared?” he asked almost fearful himself for asking such a dumb question. His brother slightly laughed, but didn’t answer for a while. 

 

He looked at Leo, before slightly glancing at the book in his hands. “I am. Not of Anankos, or of what might await us in Gyges,” he murmured, before taking a deep breath. “I’m scared of having to fight Father. I don’t know if I’ll be able to raise my sword against him. But I also can’t let anybody else do it. I am the eldest. As the successor I can’t possibly ask for anybody else to do it.”

 

For a while both of them remained silent. Leo, too, started leaning against the shelf his brother leaned against and looked at the ceiling. It was times like these, when he realized the difference between him and Xander. His brother was genuinely scared of a huge burden he had to carry, while all he thought about was his dumb crush on Prince Takumi. 

 

“So about what are you sorry then? I should be the one that’s sorry. You are in so much distress, while I worry so much about Elise’s and Camilla’s remarks about Prince Takumi and me that I don’t even realize how you feel,” he stated. Suddenly he could feel a hand on his head. Xander smiled at him sincerely, before embracing him. “I’m sorry I’m being so weak and scared of my responsibilities. To bother you with this is the only way I can seem to deal with it. But you’re my younger brother. You shouldn’t have to worry about me,” he murmured silently, which made Leo push him away. 

 

“Don’t say something so ridiculous! It’s completely normal to feel fear of the uncertain. It’s not weak to tell me about it. That’s a way human beings cope with emotion and fear. I’m glad to see your human traits, when the norm is to see how perfect you are. The perfect crown prince, whose level I will never reach!” he snapped at him, before he realized who he was actually talking to.  
He held his hand in front of his mouth, while slightly turning away from him. “Xander… I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have…” he mumbled ashamed.

 

“So, you’re still willing to compare yourself to me? I thought we had gone over this,” he heard his brother after seemingly endless silence. Leo blushed. “I’m sorry. I’m so pathetic…” he whispered.  
His older brother grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him back, before embracing him.  
“You’re not pathetic,” he said before he let go of him. He smiled softly. “But you should appreciate yourself more. There’s no need to compare yourself to me now. I wasn’t half as skilled as you are, when I was your age. I can assure you of that.”  
Leo looked at the ground.

 

“Listen… what I meant to say is that I’m sure Prince Ryoma feels the same way as you do; everybody does. I’m your family. If you can’t ‘bother’ me with this, who else?” Leo said silently, while being way too embarrassed to look up at him.  
Xander chuckled slightly as he laid his hand on his head. “You can be a lot more mature than me, yet still say these idiotic things,” he chuckled. For a moment, he remained silent, until he took a deep breath to calm himself. 

 

“Now, do you want to talk about Prince Takumi?” he changed the subject. The younger raised an eyebrow, while slowly looking up again.  
“Excuse me?” he questioned.  
Xander slightly chuckled as he nodded at him, telling him to follow him. Steadily Leo did, while still rather insecure about what exactly his elder brother wanted to achieve with that. It felt like he was going to make fun of him, just like Camilla and Elise. But then again, it was Xander; he wouldn’t be as tacky as his sisters. The older sat down at one of the tables in the library, while signaling for Leo to sit down next to him. He laid the diary on the table as he did. 

 

“What exactly bothered you about what Elise and Camilla said?” Xander started out, before resting his chin on his hand. The younger stared at the ground. “Why are you asking me that? Why would you want to talk about such a minor problem with me? I told you, it’s really nothing big,” he said insecure. After Xander telling him about his distress and him saying such a horrible thing again, there was no way he could even attempt on bothering him with such a nonissue. 

 

“You’ve listened to me and my concerns and now I shall listen to you and your concerns. There’s nothing wrong with that, is there?” his brother stated casually.  
Well, no, there might have not been anything wrong with that, but it that wasn’t the problem.  
“Xander, you don’t have to do such a ridiculous thing. You have a problem that is way harder to deal with than my dislike for someone and I’ve been so harsh on you again,” Leo replied embarrassed. 

 

His older brother sighed as he leaned back. “Listen, Leo, I’m not mad at you for feeling that way. You were not being harsh. I actually like it when you tell me what’s on your mind. You should do that more often, but like I said, don’t think so low of yourself. Don’t discredit yourself, just because I am here,” he said patiently.  
Leo peeked at him only slightly, before he exhaled and nodded. “I’ll try…” he murmured, which made his older brother smile contently. 

 

“Always tell me, when something’s on your mind,” he asked him to, before he changed the subject back to Camilla and Elise.  
“Now, it has been hard for all of us to form an alliance, because we had this mutual distrust for one another. And I know that you can be very sensitive as soon as it comes to trusting someone. You don’t easily do that and I understand why that is. What I mean is that I can understand when you are bothered by Camilla and Elise telling you how similar you are to someone, you would have never imagined ever fighting by your side. So, let me ask you again: what is it exactly that bothered you about their comments?” he said. 

 

Leo blushed as he listened to him. He hated it when Xander put things so bluntly. Somehow he always hit bull’s eye, which made it worse.  
“It’s not like I… distrust Takumi,” he mumbled scantly in reply. His brother chuckled. “I’m sure of it,” he stated calm.  
Leo sighed. 

 

“I’m not sure, why I’m bothered… He and I don’t often talk. At least, up until now, we haven’t talked very often…” he started out mumbling. His brother smiled softly. “But?” he pressed further. Leo exhaled. “Well, he and I just talked…” he tried to continue without thinking too much about the words he was going to say. He slightly looked up at Xander, who didn’t seem to reply any time soon. “And I’m starting to think that Camilla and Elise might be right… maybe,” he paused once more in order to get his thoughts together. For a second, he glimpsed outside the big window, in front of which they sat.  
As he tried to order his thoughts, he heard Xander starting to giggle. “Of course they were right. It’s not just them, who have observed that after all,” he remarked, his words piercing Leo like a sword. 

 

“But you’re not quite answering my question, are you, Leo?” he then noted, making the younger look at him asking.  
That could well be true, because he didn’t even know what he was saying, but he still wanted to think of himself to be articulate enough to answer a question at least somewhat appropriately.  
Nevertheless, Xander’s question was what had bothered him about Camilla’s and Elise’s comments and he sure hadn’t quite answered that.  
“I guess I’m bothered because I somewhat knew they were right…” he murmured silently. Once more, the crown prince started chuckling. The younger raised an eyebrow.  
The silent chuckling slowly turned into laughter that he tried to keep as silent as he could. 

 

“I’m sorry, Leo. I am taking you seriously. It’s just that it’s not like you to say something like that. You’re always so rational,” he giggled amused.  
That sounded almost like he wasn’t being rational right now. He had to admit that that comment did kind of offend him. “Am I being irrational, right now?” he asked back. Slowly Xander calmed down from laughing. He smiled light-heartedly at him. “Well, what you just said definitely sounds different than the usual you,” he replied.  
That might be true, but it surely wasn’t irrational to be willing to deny something for the sake of the own sanity. Leo was sure that if he became closer to Takumi, he would lose it sooner or later. 

 

He leaned back and started looking at the ceiling. “Xander, I’m glad we could join forces with the Hoshidians, but… sometimes I just wish I didn’t have to see Takumi all that frequently,” he said silently. 

 

His big brother remained quiet for a while, until he asked bluntly: “He’s quite your type actually, isn’t he?”  
Leo blushed deeply, but chuckled at the same time.  
“You know my type? How come? I thought I’ve always been very secretive about it,” he asked in reply, only to receive a: “You’re my little brother. I know your interests.”

 

That sure was a very insufficient answer.  
Nevertheless, it made him smirk. 

 

He always preferred keeping things, like the people he went out with, a secret, because he knew that if someone like Iago were to find out, he would surely use it against him.  
The second prince of Nohr being interested in only men sure was something Iago would have been able to milk and blackmail him with. His father wouldn’t have been too pleasantly surprised and Iago knew that.  
This was the reason he preferred to keep it a secret even from his siblings, regardless of his trust for them. If his father had ever found out, he would surely have killed him.

 

The fact that Xander knew, should have made him worry. Perhaps, he simply didn’t, because there was nothing to fear anymore.  
They had long turned against their father and the kingdom of Nohr, in order to join forces with Corrin. If King Garon were to find out now, he wouldn’t have any bigger motive to kill him now, than he had before finding out. 

 

“So, that’s why you wouldn’t want Camilla and Elise to be right in their assumptions?” Xander made sure, making his little brother nod.  
“If I can understand and relate to him, if we share interests and hobbies, if we could become friends – in short, if I like him, on a level that goes way deeper than his looks –…” he sighed slightly stressed. “I might seriously fall for him.”  
Leo gulped.  
He hadn’t expected himself to ever admit to that; especially not to himself, yet it somehow didn’t even feel that bad. He somewhat even felt relieved…

 

As he drifted away from his thoughts, he could hear the crown prince groan, which made him look at him from the corner of his eye.  
“Agh… It’s not even that bad of a problem. I’m sorry, Xander,” he apologized embarrassed. Suddenly, he heard Xander snicker, making Leo blush with embarrassment.  
“A-are you laughing at me?” he asked insecurely.  
His brother looked at him smiling, while shaking his head. “I would never. I’m just thinking that I understand how you feel, but it’s still odd to hear that from you of all people,” he stated. Of that he was sure. He knew that it was odd to hear this kind of stuff from him, because he wasn’t the type of person to lay open his feelings; not even to his family. His mother had always taught him not to. 

 

Xander laid his hand on his little brother’s shoulder. His smile softened up. “What would be so wrong with that anyway?” he questioned, making the younger wonder for a second what he actually meant by that. “You mean… with me liking Takumi… as more than just a friend…?” he asked back, receiving a nod. “If you fall for him, what would speak against it?” he refined his question, which made Leo flush. “Well… I-I… because… w-what if he… what if I destroy our friendship then?” he stuttered. Xander simpered.  
“I don’t think you can destroy your friendship with that. He might just like you back,” he said in a soft voice.  
That seemed very unlikely. 

 

“He definitely doesn’t hate you. Other than that, he wouldn’t have given you Father’s diary. That’s a good path to start on, don’t you think?” Xander told him calmly. Slowly, Leo looked at the diary he had put on the table.  
“You know that’s Father’s…?” he questioned slightly confused, making his brother nod. “I found it sometime ago. I was unsure, whether or not to show it to you guys. I gave it to Takumi later on, because he was interested in it. Well, it seems like the decision of showing it to you guys has been made easier for me. I’m sure Takumi only had the best intentions in mind when giving it to you,” he said. 

 

Scantly, Leo looked at the booklet. He surely wouldn’t have given this to him, if he didn’t care about him in one way or another… 

 

Perhaps that was just his way of showing that he did care…

 

Maybe they should talk more from now on…


	2. A golden shot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spending time with Takumi and becoming friends with him has been so pleasant, yet Leo can't seem to leave his crush on his behind. Now, he has only fallen for him even more. 
> 
> But there's not time to think about that, because a battle in the castle of Gyges awaits them... with a terrible outcome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don't know how to summerize anything ever. I'm so sorry about that. Thank you to everybody who has read the first chapter of this and found it at least somewhat pleasant to read.   
> I hope I won't disappoint you with the second chapter of this story, even though I'm 100% sure I will.  
> Anyway, thanks for reading anyway.

Why would he take Xander’s words so seriously?

 

What would be wrong with him falling for him? What would be wrong?!   
Everything would be wrong!! 

 

After his conversation with his brother, Leo had become slightly more confident about the situation at hand; about his crush on Takumi. 

 

He sure wouldn’t be the first one to ever have had a crush on someone and as soon as he got to know him better, he would certainly see how imbecile a crush on him actually was. That was going to be when he was finally going to be able to become friends with him.   
That was his reasoning behind deepening his acquaintance with the Hoshidian prince. 

 

But his reasoning had been flawed!  
He had been wrong! Xander had been wrong.   
He should have just kept his distance to Takumi, like he had all the weeks before. He should have never talked to him again. Now, everything was ruined!

 

The past week, Leo had actually taken his siblings’ words to heart. He had started hanging out with Takumi.  
However, unlike he had hoped, he couldn’t merely start appreciating him as an ally and a friend. Quite the contrary even: he had only started falling more and more for him, just like he had feared.

 

How could he not? 

 

He wasn’t only pretty! He was intelligent, articulate, cunning and he could be very kind. He sure seemed a lot colder from a distance, but the way he treated his subjects and even Leo’s subjects for that matter, was full of care and gentleness. On top of that he seemed to be great with children, since he treated both Sakura and Elise with enough respect for them to not feel like small kids anymore, yet always emitted a warm feeling of care when around them, as if he was looking after them. Even though he hated to admit it, Elise had been right when she said that he was actually a very gentle guy. Unfortunately that only made him more desirable to Leo.  
Even though he had taken Xander’s words to heart, he couldn’t see a way in which it wasn’t horrible to have fallen so deeply in love with Takumi. 

 

Once the silver haired had told him that he considered them friends and that he was glad to have found such a good friend in him, which was the moment he knew what exactly would be wrong with him falling for Takumi.   
Of course Takumi wouldn’t like him back the same way that he did, but it was so much more painful to actually experience that striking reality for what it was. 

 

That was what was wrong with it!  
He should have kept his own sanity and feelings safe!  
He should have just stayed away from him.  
Now that he was actually so close to him, he couldn’t ignore his feelings anymore.

 

 

It was the day of their departure to Gyges castle. 

 

Rather drowsily Leo walked into the stable to get his horse ready. When arriving at her box, he almost gasped since he had to figure that she wasn’t there anymore. Almost panicking he looked around, just to realize that the other animals were gone too. 

 

“Hi Leo,” he heard Elise’s voice behind him, making him turn around rapidly. She smiled at him as she looked into the box of her own horse. “Ah, Nee-chan has been on duty again,” she stated. Leo tilted his head.   
That sounded as if every animal in the stable being gone has happened before. His sister turned around in a pirouette with a smile on her face.   
“Oh, yes, you’ve not been here for so long. Right,” she said, still not explaining what was happening. 

 

They had to go, didn’t they? 

 

Elise smiled happily as she took his hand and pulled him out of the stable. “You’ve never been on stable duty, right, Leo? Whenever, Azura-nee-chan is, she lets out all the animals, so that they can get some fresh air,” she explained scantly as she led him to a rather big area behind the stable.   
A large part of the area was zoned by a fence, which was the part where the horses were able to run as freely as possible, while the wyverns and pegasi were mostly flying in the sky. 

 

Azura stood beside the fence, along with Takumi and… Leo’s horse apparently. Elise smiled happily as she saw them, before running towards them.   
Leo followed silently, not willing to already deal with the Hoshidian prince so early in the morning; especially not, when still feeling so hurt about his feelings. “Good morning, Nee-chan,” Elise greeted Azura happily and hugged her. The blue haired looked rather perplexed, but slowly reacted to her. 

 

“Good morning, you two,” she said, while looking at Leo, who slowly nodded at her. She never seemed too happy having him around. The last time he tried to talk to her alone, she snapped at him, for having listened to her sing. Takumi turned around to him and smiled that beautiful smile of his. “We have to go soon, don’t we?” Azura asked silently, making Takumi jump off the fence. “Good, then let’s…”

 

“You’re not going anywhere, just yet. I didn’t ask you to come here for you just leaving. Stop this kindergarten already,” the blue haired cut him short, making him wince.   
Leo tilted his head, but couldn’t stop smirking at how much of a mother she seemed to be.   
Takumi sighed as he took a step back from the fence. “I won’t leave here until you at least once do it. There really is no need to be afraid. C’mon already,” she demanded. 

 

Apparently she made Takumi feel uncomfortable and Leo knew that he was cute when feeling uncomfortable, since it made him blush like that.   
“What’s the matter?” Elise asked, receiving a curt “Nothing” from Takumi. 

 

Azura started smiling almost a little ridiculing. “He’s afraid of horses and I think it’s about time to have him cleansed of that fear,” she stated, which made Leo chuckle.   
The Hoshidian glared at him as he heard him, but didn’t say a word. “Look, I even looked for the nicest horse in the stable, to start with. You just need to touch her for now,” his sister told him. Takumi looked to the ground, showing no reaction whatsoever. Leo giggled as he took his hand and pulled it closer to his horse. “That’s Melissa. Say hi to her,” he said, not managing to suppress his chuckle. 

 

Takumi looked at him in panic as he pulled his hand closer to her, trying desperately to free himself. “I thought we were friends! Why are you doing this to me?!” he shouted panicking, which made Elise snicker.  
Leo couldn’t help but slightly laugh, too, even though the word ‘friends’ was still horrible to hear. 

 

Takumi still held against him pretty strongly, which made Leo sigh slightly, while loosening his grip. “Okay, we’ll approach this differently. Close your eyes,” he said silently. He knew his father had always done that with him when he was still a child.   
Whenever, he was afraid of anything, he would tell him to close his eyes and then slowly lead him closer to the source of his fear. 

 

It was easiest to do with something like animals, because they never genuinely posed an actual threat. It would take more time, if he was afraid of something a lot bigger. It was very ironic to think about that now, but back then, King Garon had always been very considerate with his children, their fears and their reluctances towards a certain activity. He would always show them how there was nothing to fear about it and then slowly started getting them used to it.

 

Takumi glared at Leo as his blush deepened, but slowly did as he was asked to. Leo pulled him closer, laying his other arm around him. He was surprisingly slim; even slimmer than he had expected him to be. Almost instinctively he tightened his grip.   
Slowly he pulled his hand over to Melissa once again. “Don’t be afraid. She won’t do anything,” he said in a reassuring voice, making Takumi relax a little.   
Slowly he pushed his hand onto her snout, which made him wince and tense up again. Leo couldn’t help but smile, when he was so helpless. 

 

Just as slowly as before, he pushed the rest of his body further into the direction of Melissa. He relaxed his grip slightly, but wouldn’t let go of his hand.   
“Open your eyes,” he said quietly. The silver haired immediately tensed up as he saw the horse in front of him, but wouldn’t try to pull his hand away from her snout anymore. 

 

Azura looked at both of them incredulously. Suddenly Melissa neighed and cuddled onto the Hoshidian, which made him wince and almost jump back. Leo giggled as silently as he could manage to be, but led his hand towards the horse once again. 

 

“Look at that. She likes you. Pet her a little,” he stated laughing, while Melissa tried cuddling onto him even more. The silver haired looked more than uncomfortable, but let her be for the moment and petted her, which was the moment Leo let go and distance himself from them. 

 

Suddenly he felt Azura lean against him. She smiled peacefully as she looked up to him.   
It was reassuring to see her smile like this. After the last battle, she had been devastated, which forced them to take a break. Considering that her mother had died in her arms it was understandable.   
He could only hope she was better off now.   
Unfortunately, they couldn’t afford to lose a lot more time from here on out. 

 

“You’re a lot nicer than you look. I probably would have never been able to make him approach her in the slightest. I guess what Corrin says is right after all,” she stated silently as she pointed her finger at his chest. “You do have a really soft spot.” 

 

That almost sounded as if she had expected him to be a cold-hearted monster. He knew that he could come off like that, but he never intended to. He just didn’t seem to be able to ever change that, since everybody preferred keeping a distance to him.   
“How are you feeling? Do you really think you can go off into battle again?” he asked concerned. Azura smiled to the ground. 

 

“Are you worried about me, because of what happened to my mother? I was able to recover, thanks to you guys taking a break for me. I have to pull myself together from now on; we’ll probably face so much more suffering. I won’t be able to hold us up any longer,” she answered smiling. Leo inhaled. “I’m sorry about your mother,” he mumbled, making her wave reassuring. 

 

“I should have known better. I knew my mother was dead. What we killed was just the mere shell of her body. Please don’t worry about me anymore,” she stated. 

 

Slowly, Leo looked back at Takumi. Elise stood beside him, making sure he wouldn’t take his hand off of Melissa. 

“Melissa is great, isn’t she? Leo has taught me how to handle horses along with her,” she noted happily. Takumi smiled at her forced, but softly, while stroking over Melissa’s fur.   
How beautiful he looked like this. 

“Y-yeah… she’s cute…” the silver haired mumbled silently. 

 

“Hey, what are you guys doing?! We really need to leave!” Corrin’s voice was audible from behind, which made Takumi quickly distance himself from Melissa. 

 

Azura sighed, but still smiled appreciative at him. “You’d probably make a good father,” she chuckled as she left along with Elise.   
That certainly wasn’t true. After all, this was just something his father used to always do with him in order to surpass his fears.   
However, if he were to tell Azura that it was King Garon of all people who used to care so lovingly for him, she probably wouldn’t believe him. 

 

“W-waaah!” he heard Takumi’s voice beside him. Melissa was starting to cuddle onto him even more, resulting in panic on his side.   
Leo sighed while smiling as he pulled her away from him, leading her out of the fenced area. “She really likes you, huh?” he said silently. 

It seemed like she had the same taste in men as her owner. How very ironic.

 

The silver haired blushed deeply and stared at the ground. “Sh-she can’t. Animals don’t like me. I’m not Hinoka,” he mumbled, again making Leo smile. “But apparently she does. I can’t tell her to dislike you,” he stated. The Hoshidian glared at him. “Then there’s got to be something wrong with her,” he murmured. 

 

How cute he was arguing like that. 

 

“Well, we should get ready. After all, we have to go find Anankos, don’t we?” he stated as he went past him. 

Slowly he turned around once again, half way. 

 

“Are you coming?” he asked, which made Takumi look around for a moment. “Will you keep her away from me?” he asked scared, making Leo laugh out. “You really are afraid! That’s almost cute!” he said chuckling. 

 

The Hoshidian blushed, before he caught up to him, deliberately staying by his side so that Melissa wouldn’t suddenly ‘attack’ him.   
“I’m not cute. It’s natural to be afraid of something,” he mumbled slightly offended, which made Leo smile softly at him. Slowly Takumi grabbed his arm and pulled him a little closer, resulting in an immediate blush shooting into the blond’s face.

 

“Thank you, though” he whispered after a while. The young dark knight peeked at him from the corner of his eye, in an asking manner. “For what?” he asked back. Takumi smiled at him genuinely.   
“Thank you for at least trying to get me used to horses. You’re very kind,” he replied.   
It was nice of him to call him kind, but there was no reason to get this close!

It was as if he was willing to test him.

 

“Okay, we have to be careful. Don’t forget, we’ll be looking for Anankos in the castle, so no matter what, trust nobody and nothing,” Corrin said as they met up to go back to Gyges. 

 

She seemed rather exhausted.   
Clearly the war had left its marks on her. Telling them to not trust anyone was something that had been hardly imaginable just some weeks ago.   
His sister inhaled as she gave Lilith the signal to open the portal to Gyges. 

 

They landed in the room, they had left last time.   
Azura led them through a door, leading to a big dark corridor. 

 

“Azura, will we find Anankos, if we continue following this corridor?” Corrin asked rather insecure, making the blue haired nod.   
“Yes, we should, but… I have a bad feeling about what is waiting for us up ahead,” she mumbled. 

 

Xander sighed in an uneasy manner, but nodded. “I agree. This area has a decidingly ominous atmosphere,” he noted as he looked around the corridor, which steadily lead into further corridors.   
“Regardless of the obstacles we face, we have to fight on. We must reach Anankos and defeat him,” Crown Prince Ryoma answered seriously, seemingly bitter.   
Corrin gulped, but held her look to the front. “Stay alert, everyone. Let’s go!” she said, before the lights suddenly went out. 

 

“Wh-what is this?! Leo! Light a flame!” Xander demanded out of the dark, making his brother wince, but quickly pull out his tome to light a small fire.   
The area was suddenly so different. It wasn’t a corridor anymore, but big assembly room. 

 

“Oh my! What just happened? I couldn’t sense a thing…” Camilla mumbled as she walked around the room, observing the walls and pillars, which were decorated with paintings of different people, one of them being Queen Arete. 

 

“Oh my, look at this pretty man. He’s gorgeous!” Camilla suddenly said as she pointed at a picture of a young man with blue hair, wearing a serious expression on his face. She smiled as she touched her chin. “He reminds me a little, of our cute Corrin. What do you think, Xander?” she asked, making her brother take a closer look at the picture, too. 

 

“Speaking of which; where is she?” Hinoka said.   
Camilla turned to her wearing a shocked expression on her face.   
“What? You mean she’s not with us?” she said in concussion as she stepped towards her. “Wh-where is she?! Where has she gone?” she stuttered as her panic seemed to increase.   
She started trembling. 

 

Suddenly a blue arrow flew by her face, leaving her thunderstruck, right where she stood. A warrior fell to the ground right next to her, making her slowly look at the body. “Ah… thank you, sweetie,” she mumbled as she looked at Takumi. 

 

The silver haired nodded, but quickly looked around the dark room again. “There’s more of them. We have to find Corrin. Azura, do you know where to go?” he said. The songstress scanned the room. “I’m not sure. We should get out of here first,” she mumbled as she started walking towards the door. 

 

“If there are more enemies here, they’re sure to follow us, though. Leave that to Hinata and me. We’re going to be the last to exit this room,” Oboro pointed out.   
Niles smirked as he heard her. “Don’t tell me you’re willing to fight off all of them on your own. We don’t know how many they are. Let me at least help you,” he said in an almost condescending voice.   
She exhaled annoyed, but nodded slightly, before her, Hinata and Niles positioned themselves at the doorway to let the others out first.

 

Again, they landed in a corridor. As they walked through it, the ground started shaking, making Azura tense up. She turned around to look at the room they had just left and Oboro, Hinata and Niles. Then she inhaled to calm herself.   
“Get going! We need to find Corrin, before something happens to her,” she demanded as she paced up. 

 

Leo’s eyes widened as he saw arrows fly right into her direction. She seemed to be so lost to her worry that she didn’t realize herself, though. Quickly he formed a magical shield over her, preventing the arrows from hitting. The blue haired winced and turned to him.   
“Ah… th-thank you…” she mumbled, but then quickly started walking again. 

 

“This is my entire fault… I knew it was a trap… why didn’t I do anything?” she mumbled to herself, until Crown Prince Ryoma grabbed onto her shoulder and pulled her back. “Azura, you blaming yourself and thoughtlessly walking around won’t bring us anywhere. Takumi’s retainers and Niles are already buying us time, so you’re just needlessly endangering yourself. Calm down,” he said in a strict voice. 

 

At his words, she suddenly burst into tears and leaned against him. “Ryoma… I-I’m so sorry. I-I’m so afraid. What if we don’t find her in time? Ryoma…” she sobbed. The brunet sighed as he started stroking over her hair. “There’s no need to be sorry. She said she will be careful, don’t you remember? We will find her in time,” he answered in a reassuring voice. 

 

“O-nee-sama, why don’t you sing?” Sakura suddenly proposed which made her look at her asking. The pink haired winced. “I-I mean, Corrin has gotten to know you, because you were singing back then. I’m sure she’ll be able to follow your voice again,” she explained.   
Azura sniffled as she distanced herself from Ryoma. She wiped her tears, before starting to sing. 

 

Rapidly she winced and stopped, before running down the corridor, the others following her perplexed.   
“Corrin! Thank goodness. Are you alright?” she asked happily as she started hugging her sister, who had almost run into her. Corrin looked at her confused, but slowly her face relaxed a little.   
“Yes, I’m… I’m fine,” she murmured silently. Azura let go of her to look at her properly. “Is something wrong? You look so pale…” she noted, making her shake her head. “It’s nothing, Azura. Don't worry. We need to stay focused and alert. This place is filled with traps. Be careful,” she told her, before turning to the rest of the army. “Guys! This is the way. Follow me,” she asked them to. 

 

Leo raised an eyebrow. 

What the hell has happened? 

She really did look pale, though she seemed to be convinced that everything was fine. 

Hopefully she hasn’t been manipulated during the time she wasn’t with them. 

 

Suddenly he was grabbed by the wrist, making him look to the side to see Takumi.   
“How does that sound to you?” he asked silently. Leo glanced at the door she had entered.   
“Well, I’m not sure what to think about all of this. I just hope this is not a trap…” he mumbled.   
The silver haired sighed as he let go of him. “So, I’m not the only one who thinks that’s fishy. Good! Then please help me keep her safe,” he answered. 

 

Leo rolled his eyes. Of course he’d keep his sister safe. He knew how stupid she could be. Rather unwillingly they followed her inside the big room, which looked like a big basement or catacombs.

 

“C’mon, guys! We have to go this way!” Corrin announced as she tried leading them through the room.   
Leo sighed as he saw another warrior charging towards her, quickly casting a spell to defend her.   
“Keep your eyes open! This place is dangerous!” he shouted at her as she turned to him. 

 

“Listen to him, sweetie. Just look. We’re cornered,” Camilla supported him as she lit up the room, exposing the enemies. Corrin’s eyes widened.   
“B-but how… I thought this place was completely safe!” she murmured.   
Takumi sighed as he shot an arrow to keep her from getting hit by another one. “Apparently, it’s not. Keep your eyes open!” he scolded her.  
She winced and turned around. 

 

“M-Mother!” she whispered.

 

Steadily the slim figure of a woman stepped out of the shadows. She had long black hair, which she had bound to a ponytail. Her clothing was similar to the one Sakura wore, so assumable she was a priestess. Her face carried a soft smile, which made her look amazingly beautiful.   
She carried a long golden bow in her hands which carried a rather big carving of a Kinshi on top of it. Come to think of it; it looked a lot like the bow Leo had seen in that book: ‘The Pursuer’, or so he believed. 

 

“Mother…” Ryoma mumbled as well. Leo turned his head to him.

“I see you’ve brought all of my children with you, Corrin. Are you all willing to stay here with me and serve Anankos?” she asked in a soft voice. Corrin winced. “Wh-what are you saying, Mother? You can’t mean that,” she answered confused. 

 

Queen Mikoto tilted her head. “Why wouldn’t I mean it? Think about it. Like that we could get back all the time we’ve lost due to you being kidnapped. If you surrender, we can serve Anankos together...forever,” she stated softly.   
“M-Mother! What are you doing? W-why are doing this?” Sakura shouted at the verge of tears.   
“Y-you can’t mean what you’re saying…” Corrin repeated herself.

 

Queen Mikoto’s smile vanished. She closed her eyes and sighed. “Very well then. I assume I have to use violence,” she stated as she nodded towards the troupes and stepped back into the shadows. 

 

“N-no! Mother!” Sakura cried, trying to follow her.   
Elise pulled her to the side as a javelin, aimed at her, shot out of the dark. It slightly wounded her arm. The blond pulled out a staff and healed her up quickly. “Focus! We have to get through here,” she told her seriously. 

 

Xander inhaled stressed. “C’mon, Leo. We have to support the Hoshidians,” he said as he got up on his horse and started riding into the crowd. Leo looked after him for a while, thinking back at the conversation he had with him just a week ago.  
He then followed his action. 

 

He was right. Most certainly the Hoshidians were close to a mental breakdown after seeing their dead mother again, siding with the enemy, who so cruelly took her from them.

 

Corrin still stood in the middle of the room, completely thunderstruck, when a berserker attacked her. He sighed, but quickly casted a spell, protecting her. “Keep your eyes on the battlefield! Don’t just stand there!” he shouted at her as he pulled her up onto Melissa, in front of him.   
Lifelessly she stared at him, while slowly laying her arms around his waist, which made him secure her with one hand. 

 

“L-Leo… that’s my mother…” she mumbled. He knew as much already. Slowly, she leaned against him. “I-I can’t fight my mother… I-it’s my fault that she died. I can’t fight her now,” she sobbed. 

 

Leo laid his hand on his forehead, trying to think of a way to calm her down. She was at the verge of tears, understandably, but he just couldn’t find any possible idea to reassure her. From the corner of his eye he saw a knight approaching them. Quickly he evaded the attack, but couldn’t do much else. 

 

“It’s not your fault. It’s not anybody’s fault. Stop this, Corrin. Your siblings are going through the same stuff and they need you more than ever! You have to face this. That’s what it means to be a leader,” he said as calmly as he could manage to be.   
She tore up.   
Bitterly she started crying, which made it a little harder to aim properly at the foes, since he felt had to focus on his sister now more than anything else. 

 

“B-but I’m not a leader. I’m not Xander, or Ryoma. I-I can’t differentiate between friend and foe. And now, that the foe is so intimate… wh-what can I do, Leo? I-I can’t handle this!” she cried. 

 

Leo rolled his eyes in stress as he hugged her tightly.   
“Don’t say that. You’re a great leader. Didn’t Xander already once state it? You were the one to bring both of our kingdoms together. It takes quite some mental strength to turn against both your families in order to unite them. If you could do that, don’t you think you could stand through here, too?” he said, while stroking over her hair. 

 

She sniffled, slightly soothed. “I just took the easiest way. Because I couldn’t turn against any of you,” she mumbled sobbing.   
Leo chuckled.   
“You can be so dumb at times. Do you honestly think this would have been the easiest way? What if we hadn’t decided to support you after all? You came here, with barely any friend; just Azura and Jakob and you’ve stood through up until now. You ended the war between Hoshido and Nohr almost single-handedly. You can easily handle this,” he replied. Slowly she distanced herself and looked at him. 

 

She wiped her tears.   
“Y-you’re right… I have to help Ryoma and the others,” she mumbled.   
Of course he was right.   
Everybody kept talking about what would happen when the war was over, yet no one seemed to see that the war between Hoshido and Nohr had ended a long time ago, thanks to her.

 

He stopped to lift her off Melissa. “Do you think you can go?” he made sure, receiving a nod from her. “I have to…” she answered silently, before slowly stepping away from him.   
He could only hope she would be alright and if not, he could only hope for help from anybody.

 

Leo inhaled, casting spells over as many enemies as he could as he rode over the battlefield.   
Slightly he glanced at Sakura, who was trying to land numerous shots, but missed all of them. Takumi silently kept shooting the foes she missed, protecting her, the best he could.  
He looked rather pale as well. Even though he kept shooting the enemies, he looked very helpless. 

 

Suddenly his sister’s knees gave in.   
She started crying, which made the silver haired kneel down next to her, here and there shooting to prevent her from getting injured.   
An arrow flew by his face, making him wince. The silver haired turned his head to Niles, who had shot a Pegasus knight that had launched an attack. 

 

“Focus, Milord! Weren’t you the one who told me to always pay attention to my surroundings?” he shouted. The Hoshidian inhaled relieved, as if Niles had just brought him back into reality. “You’re right,” he mumbled as he pulled his sister close to him. “Come, Sakura, you shouldn’t fight today,” he said as he pulled her up.

 

All of a sudden he winced and pushed her away from him.   
A golden arrow flew right where they had just been standing, now aiming at Leo, who shielded himself. 

 

Sakura started crying again, while her brother stood there frozen.   
“My, my, I’m so happy my children have grown up to be such reliable adults. Let me take a closer look at you,” Queen Mikoto said as she stepped towards her daughter. 

 

She opened her arms to an embrace.   
“Sakura, my beautiful girl! It feels like forever since I’ve held you in my arms. Come here so that we can finally stay together,” she said softly.   
The pink haired looked at her in despair but slowly got up. With wobbly steps she walked towards her mother, when suddenly being pulled back.   
“Relax! Don’t let yourself be fooled! That’s not our mother!” Takumi shouted at her as he pushed her to his chest, which made Queen Mikoto smile.   
“You’ve become so strong, Takumi. I’m so proud of you,” she stated. 

 

The silver haired sighed, but smiled at her as he took some steps back. “I missed you, Mother,” he said. The black haired woman chuckled. “So did I. Stay here and serve Anankos with me, so that you’ll never have to miss me again,” she said. 

 

Again, he took some steps back. The pained smile he had smiled at his mother vanished slowly.   
“Leo, are you capable of tying her down with your magic?” he asked suddenly, while his gaze still remained on his mother. Leo winced up. “Yes,” he answered slowly. 

 

The Hoshidian inhaled deeply. “Good, then please do that,” he asked him to. The blond clenched his teeth, but did as he was asked to after getting down from Melissa. Queen Mikoto looked at him smiling.   
“Oh, you’re Prince Leo of Nohr? How good-looking you are. Well, no wonder, King Garon used to be very good-looking, as well,” she slightly pulled the magic fetter.   
“Hm… so young of age, yet already such a skilled mage. We could need someone like you in our army, so put down your weapons and release me,” she noted.   
Leo looked at the ground, not being able to answer to her.   
Slightly he looked at Takumi, who was focusing on his bow’s string.   
“You can’t mean that. She’s your mother. Let me do it,” he whispered. 

 

“O-nii-sama, why would you do that?” Sakura cried. The Hoshidian pressed his sister closer.   
“Don’t look, Sakura,” he whispered. Then he turned his face to Leo.

 

“I can’t let you do that, because she’s my mother. I don’t want a stranger to kill her a second time,” he stated. 

 

“Takumi, stop! You don’t have to do that all by yourself!” Ryoma suddenly shouted, making his little brother slightly turn around to look at him.   
He started smiling pained.   
“Ryoma, I can’t let you carry every single burden of our empire. I’ve made you shoulder my pain so often already. Please let me take the pain off of you this once. Let me at least try to catch up to you. I’m not an honorable man like you, so I think I can live with the burden of having killed my mother,” he said. Then he pulled Sakura away from him and pushed her towards his brother.   
“But please don’t let her see it,” he asked him to with a smile on his face.

 

Still crying she reached out for him, when Ryoma grabbed her.   
“Nii-sama, stop!” she screamed. 

 

Takumi tried to ignore her as well he could as he struggled to form the string of the bow. He laughed a monotone laugh.   
“Seems like every part of my body is resisting this as well. How pathetic,” he noted calmly. Mikoto smiled at him. “You don’t need to do it. Look at yourself: even your own weapon is turning against you. Don’t you think that’s a sign? Stay,” she asked in a soft voice. 

 

Takumi smiled back at her. “If I did that, I wouldn’t be able to use this weapon ever again. My own state of mind would turn against me even more than it is now,” he replied just as collected as she did.   
The string manifested and Takumi was about to lift the bow, when Sakura once more cried out: “Please… O-nii-sama…! Please don’t…!” Her brother winced at her words and the string faded along with it. 

 

“Silence!” Ryoma shouted, which made Leo slightly turn around to look at them. The Hoshidian crown prince held tightly onto his youngest sister as she looked at him in shock. He tried to force a smile, but clearly couldn’t anymore, so he simply pulled her closer.   
“H-he has to focus, so be silent for a little,” he asked her to. Hinoka clenched her teeth, but managed to smile at her.   
“Takumi is just bringing back our mother, so don’t be afraid,” she noted. 

 

The silver haired glanced at them, smiling pained, before he inhaled, while forming a blue string.   
“Takumi, what are you doing? How can you manage to form this string? The Fujin Yumi corresponds to your feelings. Do you really want to kill your mother? Why don’t you just stay here with me?” Queen Mikoto said, still in a reassuring voice. Her son smiled at her.   
“My mother is already dead, so I have to decline. Look at all the allies I could make thanks to Corrin. I could even become friends with Prince Leo over here. I’m sorry, Mother, but I think I’d rather stay with them,” he replied as he lifted his bow to aim at her. Again, he took a deep breath before shooting.

 

Precisely the arrow pierced through her chest and she fell backwards.   
Leo quickly stopped the spell that tied her hands.  
The black haired smiled peacefully as she lifted her hand. 

 

“Mother!” Corrin shouted as she ran towards her. She quickly grabbed it and kneeled down, which was the moment the rest of her children ran up to her, too, except for Takumi.   
Leo sighed as he pushed him. The silver haired turned around to him with wet eyes.   
The Nohrian winced, but quickly turned his face away. This was sure not the time to get lost in these beautiful eyes of his.   
“Get going. It’s the last time you’re going to see your mother. Talk to her,” he demanded.   
Takumi clenched his teeth, but slowly stepped towards her. 

 

“I’m sorry I tried to deceive you…” Queen Mikoto said making Corrin shake her head. “No, I know Anankos is to blame. He brought you back, but also controlled you,” she answered reassuring. 

 

“M-Mother…” Sakura raised her voice, before sniffling. “I-I missed you…”   
The former Hoshidian queen laid her hand on her daughter’s face. “I missed you, too, Sakura. I missed your smile, your daily routine of going into the stable to see if any of our animals are wounded, the lovely pancakes you made when you wanted to reassure someone,” she replied. 

 

Takumi grabbed onto his sister as he kneeled down. “You heard her. She missed you so much. The least you can do is smile for her,” he told her. Slowly the pink haired wiped her tears and started smiling rather forced. 

 

Queen Mikoto replied with a soft smile of her own before turning to her oldest son. “Ryoma, look at you… You’ve become a true king… I’m reassured to leave the kingdom in your hands… I’m so proud,” she stated as her voice became weaker. The crown Prince took her hand and nodded silently. “I’ll continue making you proud, Mother,” he answered. The woman breathed in forced. 

 

“Hinoka, Azura… You’re both so beautiful. I’m blessed to be the mother to such beautiful young women. I loved how both of you cared for the animals in the stable for hours. You always came back so dirty, but happy.” 

 

Again she inhaled. “I’m running out of time… but there’s so much I still want to say… Corrin… please listen…” she started off.   
“I haven’t been completely honest… with you… I was born here in Valla. And you… you are part of the Vallite royal line. Arete, the former queen of Valla is my older sister. Because of the curse, I wasn’t able to say anything about her before now…” she mumbled. 

 

Her daughter nodded, unable to ask any questions. Queen Mikoto exhaled. “It’s good to have that off my chest,” she chuckled as she turned her face to Takumi. “I’m so proud of you, Takumi. You’ve become… so strong. Thank you so much… for freeing… me…” she said as she pulled him closer. 

 

Slowly she let go of Ryoma to move her hand towards him. Shaking he took it.   
“I don’t deserve your gratitude, Mother…” he mumbled, making her chuckle. “Just what on earth made you ever think that you have to do earn anything I give to you? I always loved you unconditionally,” she said softly. Her son pulled her hand closer and laid it on his chest.   
“I love you, too,” he answered. She smiled at him but then sighed. Slowly she groped along the ground. 

 

She lifted up the golden bow she had used up until now. Weakly she placed it in her son’s hands. “D-do you know what this is?” she asked smiling. Slowly her son nodded as he wrapped his fingers around it.   
“T-the Pursuer… y-you told me about it when I was a child,” he mumbled silently. She nodded. “It used to be in possession of the royal family of Valla; my… mother gave it to me… when I was… a child, but… now I want… you to have it,” she stated.   
Takumi tensed up even more. “M-Mother, there’s no way I could wield a bow like this… You shouldn’t give me…” he stopped as his mother touched his face. “Of course you can. If there’s anybody who can wield it, it’s you, my son,” she said silently as she closed her eyes. 

 

She inhaled deeply. “It’s time to go…” she murmured as she sat up. She smiled at Leo before turning her face at his siblings, who were standing in the back. “I shall thank you, Nohrians. I’m glad you care for my children; please continue being as kind as your father used to be,” she said silently. Slowly her hand started turning blue and dissolve. 

 

Takumi let go of her other hand and laid his arms around Sakura. “Hey, you’re not smiling. C’mon, say good-bye by smiling,” he told her while starting to smile. “I’ve raised such good children,” the black haired woman genuinely smiled back at her children, before dissolving so steadily it was unbearable to watch. 

 

Suddenly Leo felt arms around his waist. He looked down at Elise, who had started to cry. He took a deep breath as he laid his hand on her head, while turning his face to Xander. His brother stroke over Camilla’s hair; she was holding onto him, shaking and sobbing. He closed his eyes, gently tightening his embrace. 

 

Leo looked at the Hoshidians again, who had gotten up by now.   
Takumi held Sakura in his arms, seemingly holding back tears. 

 

Corrin inhaled. “W-we have to continue… W-we h-have to find Anankos…” she mumbled barely convincing herself. 

 

Leo slowly loosened his embrace around Elise. He smiled as he wiped her tears with his thumb. “Queen Mikoto sure is as wonderful as we’ve always heard, don’t you think? She doesn’t carry any grudge whatsoever. Even though we’re her former enemy, she could say such nice things about us and even our father,” he stated, making her nod, but not stop crying. He tilted his head as he poked into her chest.   
“We should all adopt some of her behavior. That would sure make the world a better place, don’t you think?” he carried on, finally making his sister cry less.   
Again she nodded, while sniffling.   
He pulled her into a hug.   
“Sure it would. But before we can try to achieve that, we have to stay with our Hoshidian allies and lift some burden off of their shoulders. We really have to support them now, just like we had to with Azura. Do you think you can manage?” he asked her.   
She nodded, starting to smile a little. 

 

Suddenly Corrin cleared her throat. “I-I think we should continue…” she stated in a shaking voice. It was heart-breaking how tough she was trying to act for the sake of everyone, yet could barely hold back her tears in front of them. She wobbly started moving when steps from down the corridor were audible. 

 

Leo pulled her back, which made her jerk and look at him with wet eyes.   
He shook his head. “Don’t move. Someone is coming,” he whispered as he pulled her behind the door. Probably the soldiers from the other room have caught up to them by now.

 

The others quickly retired from the big door as well, shortly before the tall figure of a man in a dark cape entered the room. For a moment he had an aura similar to the one King Garon used to have, but that quickly changed after looking at him for longer. He seemed so lifeless, yet still so intimidating, which was an aura much more similar to the aura King Garon had now.   
The man looked at the place Queen Mikoto had found her final resting place as if he knew that this was where she vanished.

 

“Again, she died in vain, a blade of love shedding her blood, her children watching in agony, while she takes her last breath,” the figure announced into the darkness, a sentence so poetic that not even Odin could have come up with it. 

 

Corrin started shaking as the figure turned around to them, face not visible under the cloth of the cape’s hood. “How amazing this feels. All of my children have come to fight me, after becoming so strong and even killing their own mother,” he said.   
Leo narrowed his eyes.   
How creepy this man was. For the fact that he looked so serene when entering the room, it was hardly imaginable that he would end up so eerily dangerous. 

 

“Y-you are…” Corrin mumbled as she stepped towards him.   
“You are the one who killed my mother!” she said under her breath. 

 

The figure chuckled.   
“Me? Wasn’t it you who killed her just now?” he said in a snide manner, before pointing at Takumi.   
“That is to say, it was you, wasn’t it, Takumi?” he corrected himself. 

 

The silver haired clenched his teeth, not being able to answer.   
“How ruthless you’ve become. Stone faced killing your own mother; the woman who cared for you and understood you best. I can’t even describe the pride I feel to have such a strong child,” he stated, a smirk becoming visible on his face. 

 

“Silence! How dare you say such a thing about him?!” Ryoma shouted at the figure. 

 

The smirk on his face widened slightly, it however steadily vanished upon looking at the Hoshidian prince. “Ryoma is trying to defend you, even though I expressed my pride. How amusing! However… how come you aren’t using a katana anymore? Is it because of the defeat Ryoma has dealt against you? Instead you’re using the weapon of a coward; a bow,” he asked seemingly mocking. 

 

At that moment a violet flash and a silver arrow were directed at him.   
Swiftly, the man drew a sword to prevent the attack from hitting. 

 

Leo turned around to his retainers who had simultaneously launched an attack. Niles’ face was ice cold similar to the face he had the day they had met.   
“You’ve said more than enough, Milord. It’s time to shut up, King Sumeragi,” he stated. The man laughed.   
“A smart fellow you are. How did you know?” he asked as he pulled the cape off. 

 

“Father…” Ryoma mumbled silently. “Y-you were the one who killed our mother that day?” Hinoka stuttered. King Sumeragi smirked. “Why did you kill Mother? You loved her, Father!” Corrin shouted. 

 

Xander suddenly pulled her back as she was about to draw her sword.   
“Isn’t it obvious? He’s not the man you used to know anymore. Think rationally: it’s like with Queen Mikoto and Lady Arete,” he stated. His sister looked at him suffering but didn’t answer. 

 

Another arrow flew towards King Sumeragi. Again, it was dodged. “What are you doing, Nohrian? It is not you I am interested in. It’s my children, so get out of the way,” he demanded as he walked towards them. 

 

Suddenly the door was barged open, presumably by the units Hinata, Niles and Oboro had delayed in the other room. 

 

“Split up in the room! Fight the other units!” Ryoma shouted as he pulled Sakura with him.   
Leo quickly grabbed Takumi, who was still standing there thunderstruck.   
He pulled him onto Melissa, before starting to ride. Quickly he felt hands around his waist, which made him blush slightly.   
He felt him lean against his back. “I’m sorry…” he mumbled silently. 

 

“What for?” the blond asked in reply, resulting in the grip around his waist tightening. “I’m so useless. Both your retainers and you have just saved me and I didn’t see anything coming…” he said.   
Leo sighed.   
It was only understandable he would freeze, when seeing his father after such a long time and not seeing the man he used to know anymore. 

 

“There’s nothing wrong with that. It must be hard on you guys to first see your mother under a dark spell and then even your father,” he answered trying to sound reassuring.   
The Hoshidian sighed.   
“Can’t you break the spell? Corrin and Camilla keep telling me how strong you are. Can’t you break it?” he asked almost begging. 

 

Leo inhaled, while placing his hand on his forehead.   
He was pretty sure he could try, but he was also pretty sure that this kind of magic wasn’t just some ordinary kind of curse, so breaking the spell would be hard. 

 

“I’m afraid I couldn’t bring your father back, even if I were to break the spell. In the end, he’s just a walking corpse right now. If I manage to break the spell, he’ll surely die. Same went for your mother,” he answered. 

 

Takumi sighed as if he had expected that answer.   
“I’m sorry; it was dumb of me to ask. I thought I could lift some weight off of Ryoma and now we’re in the same situation again and I’m too shaky to even lift up the bow. I guess it’s true what Father says: I am a coward. I’m even asking you to kill him, because I’m at my limit…” he said quietly. 

 

Leo glanced at him from the corner of his eye.   
“You can say quite some dumb stuff. Don’t just believe what this man says. He’s not your father anymore; your father wouldn’t talk to you like that,” he replied annoyed.   
Takumi let go of him.   
“Mother sure talked the way she used to talk…” he mumbled. 

 

Leo stopped and pulled him down from his horse, before slapping him right across the face.   
He pushed him against a stone wall, which made the silver haired look at him confused.   
“Of course she would. Can’t you see through all of this? Anankos has been controlling both of them. He let Queen Mikoto talk like that, so that Corrin would trust her, but that’s not necessary anymore with King Sumeragi! Stop feeling so goddam sorry for yourself and think for a moment!” he shouted at him. 

 

The Hoshidian looked at him in shock, but slowly sank his head and started holding his cheek.   
“I’m sorry. You’re right…” he murmured as he started embracing him. 

 

Leo winced.   
He was way too close to him for the fact that he was coming close by choice.   
Shaking he laid his hand on his back at the moment Takumi was distancing himself from Leo. The blond winced and rapidly removed his hand, hoping the silver haired hadn’t realized what he was doing. 

 

“You should leave me here and go help your retainers. I would just hold you up right now,” he told him. Leo turned his face at the direction they had come from to see Niles and Odin fight King Sumeragi. 

 

Quickly he got back onto Melissa, pulling Takumi along with him and started riding off.   
“W-what are you doing?! I told you to leave me there. How did you even pull me up so fast?!” the Hoshidian shouted at him.   
Leo smirked. “You’re not going to stand in a corner, feeling sorry for yourself. You can be much more useful. Show Niles some more of your tricks for instance,” he told him as he pulled Brynhildr out of the saddle’s pocket. 

 

Slightly he turned around and smiled at him. “Don’t you want to repay Odin and Niles?” he asked rhetorically as he casted a spell directed at King Sumeragi.   
He turned around and smirked, dodging it rather elegantly.   
“Have you come back to help your retainers, Prince Leo?” he asked laughing. 

 

Niles sighed. “You really shouldn’t come helping us all the time, Milord. It’s us who have to protect you, not the other way around,” he stated.

 

“My fellow is right. Our lives are not worth of being protected by you, Milord!” Odin added as he carried on attacking King Sumeragi. 

 

The swordsman kept dodging, but was still forced to take some steps back as Odin swiftly casted one spell after another.   
It seemed as if he was actually giving King Sumeragi a hard time, even though he was still able to dodge. Suddenly he started smirking as he made a rapid movement, disarming Odin from his tome.   
The blond took some steps back as the blade of King Sumeragi’s sword was pointed at his neck. 

 

“I admit that you are indeed a worthy opponent, but you’ve left yourself wide open, which is a mistake not to be forgiven,” he stated.   
Odin smirked back. “So have you,” he said as he kicked against his elbow. 

 

The Hoshidian king stumbled backwards, enamored of his blade. Odin quickly caught the sword and started attacking again, which made the swordsman draw a second sword to defend himself. Leo incredulously observed the fight.   
Never in his life had Odin told him that he was this skilled with a sword. He wasn’t only fast enough to not leave any room for a counter attack, but even strong enough to keep up with him. 

 

Suddenly his sleeve was pulled. He turned around to Takumi. “I thought your retainer was a mage,” he stated. Leo nodded, just as disbelieving as him.   
“He moves like a samurai,” the silver haired noted. The Nohrian turned his face back to Odin, who had started to smile. A genuine smile he barely ever smiled.   
One could say he looked like he was having fun. 

 

“It seems he’s more than just weird talk,” Niles stated as he leaned against Melissa. He laughed as Leo looked at him asking. “It seems you didn’t know either he was this good a swordsman. Seems like he’s more talented than he looks,” he noted chuckling. 

 

It sure seemed like that, but somehow he couldn’t hold himself from feeling restless when watching Odin fight Hoshido’s former king.   
The sound of blades clashing accompanying their fast movements made him feel incredibly uneasy, since he wasn’t able to follow them properly. 

 

Suddenly he noticed Takumi wincing from the corner of his eye.   
At that moment Odin stumbled backwards, letting the sword fall. He tripped and fell, while King Sumeragi stepped towards him smirking. He reached back, when suddenly a light blue flash grazed his arm. He looked to the side. 

 

“What a weak attempt of saving this sorry life. Are you really my son?” he said snidely, a cold gaze fixating on Takumi. The silver haired sank his head, while laying one hand on Leo’s waist. He started shaking, unable to reply.

 

Odin jumped up, reaching for the sword again, but King Sumeragi held him down by stepping on his arm.   
“Enough, Nohrian!” he shouted.   
Leo tensed up, but quickly laid hand on his tome, when he saw him reach back once more. 

 

Just when he was about to attack, a flash lit up. Leo closed his eyes, but directed his spell into a different direction. 

 

Slowly he opened them again to see Prince Ryoma stand before Odin, holding his sword up against his father’s.   
“This is more than enough, King Sumeragi,” he stated, making him grin. “My eldest son has come to fight me, wielding the sword I used to wield with so much confidence. I shall show you how proud you make me,” he told him. 

 

The Hoshidian crown prince inhaled deeply as he pushed his father further away from Odin, rapidly swinging his sword.   
“My father...was a respectable man, a just king, and a true samurai. You, fueled only by a lust for battle and glory, are not that man. You… are not my father,” he answered, swiftly swinging his sword, preventing King Sumeragi from even thinking about launching an attack. 

 

Odin got up, getting a distance to them. He walked up to Leo and Niles, bowing in front of him.   
“My deepest apologies, Milord. I couldn’t do anything against him. Seeing Lord Ryoma fight him with such passion and fire shows me how foolish I was to think I could take on this man. I assume it’s been too long since I have carried a blade,” he said surprisingly silent. 

 

Leo sighed. He wasn’t quite sure how to answer to that. After all, he was truly impressive. 

 

“What are you talking about? You were more than just impressive,” Takumi raised his voice. Odin’s eyes widened and he stared at him, his mouth slowly opening. “Uh… d-do you mean what you’re saying, Milord?” he asked, surprisingly simple. 

 

Takumi nodded slowly. “Of course. Your skills are incredible. How come you’ve picked up the tome, when you’re this skilled with a sword?” he asked.   
The blond bowed deeply. “M-my deepest gratitude, Milord…” he said. 

 

Takumi’s eyes quickly moved to his brother and father again. He watched in silence, before closing his eyes, exhaling. He laid his arms around Leo and slightly ducked. “I think you guys should take some steps back. I don’t know how far the Raijinto can reach, when Ryoma goes all out,” he stated. 

 

Leo pulled Melissa back, hearing his advice. The silver haired leaned against him once again, making Leo wince just like before. He slightly turned around to him, who was watching his brother and father fight with a suffering expression. 

 

Slowly Leo turned his face towards them as well. Flashes were lighting up at the scene, making it hard to see anything. However it was now that he understood that in no way Odin could have matched up to him.   
Unlike him, Ryoma was actually succeeding in injuring his father instead of just holding him up. 

 

At the moment the flashes stopped, Takumi winced. 

 

He jumped off of Melissa and slowly got closer to his brother, who stood close to his father, his sword stabbing his upper body.  
“R-Ryoma… my son…” King Sumeragi mumbled as his son slowly pulled the sword out.   
Takumi ran up to them the same moment Sakura, Hinoka and Corrin came.   
Slowly the swordsman sank to his knees, while laying his hand around his son. Ryoma let his sword fall and responded to his father’s embrace. The crown prince’s siblings ran up to him as he placed his father against a wall.

 

Leo got down from Melissa, before getting closer to the Hoshidians who had to once more gather around one of their parents. Ryoma held his father’s hand, who smiled at him sincerely. “You’ve become… so strong, my son,” he mumbled in a heavy voice. The brown haired bit his lip.   
The former Hoshidian king smiled, turning his head towards his children. “You all… have become so strong… I couldn’t be more proud,” he added. 

 

Takumi tensed up and sunk his head. Sakura tenderly hugged him.   
“F-father! Father!” she repeated herself as if she was in a trance. He laid his hand on her head, while turning his face to his other children.   
“Why…why are you crying? You've met and surpassed my hopes for you... As warriors on the battlefield... and as royalty of Hoshido. I couldn't have wished for anything better. Be proud. Be proud of who you've become. And... know that I am,” he said silently. 

 

Ryoma looked at him as if he desperately wanted to answer, but didn’t; none of them did. King Sumeragi turned his head to Corrin. “Corrin, I must apologize. I'm so sorry that I wasn't able to protect you that day... Your life could have been so different if only I'd been stronger,” he stated, making her take his hand and shake her head, clearly holding back tears. 

“Father...don't apologize! They're faint, but I still have memories of my childhood with you... I remember watching you swing your sword... Feeling safe when you patted me on the head with your big, warm hand... I knew that you loved me. And you gave your life trying to protect me. There’s no way I could be mad at you,” she said reassuring, suppressing sobbing. He sighed in relief. 

 

“Such a forgiving young woman… You must have that from your mother,” he noted. He inhaled deeply as he turned his word at Hinoka and Sakura: “You look beautiful, you two. Hinoka, you’re still so restless, but try to calm down once in a while. And Sakura… I can’t believe I get to see you so grown up after all this time… when I died you were still a baby. Am I a stranger to you?” he asked smiling pained. 

 

The pink haired shook her head. “N-no, you’d never be. I love you, Father. You’d never be a stranger to me. Y-you’re so warm; just like Mother,” she sobbed. The king closed his eyes for a moment, a soft smile on his lips.   
“I’m glad…” 

 

Slowly he opened his eyes again, fixing on Takumi.   
“I’m sorry, Takumi. I must have hurt you badly with my words. You always used to be so sensitive. I feel like a horrible parent talking like that to my own child. I can understand if you can’t forgive me anymore,” he said. 

 

Takumi inhaled deeply as if he was trying to suppress tears. He shook his head as he sniffed. “I could never hate you, Father,” he mumbled as he sank to his knees, laying his hand on his arm. “It wasn’t you to talk like that, I know. You always supported me when I picked up the bow as a child, remember? It was even you who gave me the Fujin Yumi back then. You always encouraged me,” he added smiling as he sank his head, shaking heavily. 

 

King Sumeragi smiled happily as he turned his face towards his oldest son. “Ryoma, thank you. I’m glad you were the one to kill me this time. I’m so happy I could spend my last moments with all of my children,” he said as slowly his body started glowing blue and dissolving just like Queen Mikoto’s before. “Now, I can die with no regrets.” Sakura let go of his hand and pulled Takumi closer. 

 

She cried bitterly, while her father dissolved just as slowly as her mother.   
Leo only scantly looked at them, but then quickly fixed his eyes on Ryoma, who was sitting in front of his father, refusing to let go of his hand, until it dissolved along with him. He kept mumbling silent words to his father, who would reply just as silently as him. 

 

The man disappeared just leaving the two blades he had fought with. Ryoma picked them up, observing them thoroughly, before putting them back into their sheaths. 

 

Suddenly Leo was touched by his shoulder. He looked around to see Camilla look at him with a pained expression. She smiled forced. “Are you okay?” she asked. He smiled back at her. “Are you?” he replied questioning.   
She narrowed her eyes as she pulled him closer. She sobbed silently. “I-I’m sorry… I’m getting… so nostalgic…” she mumbled. Leo laid his arms around her. 

 

He could understand what she was thinking. Since hearing Queen Mikoto talk about Father, he couldn’t think of anything else anymore. He knew they would have to fight him and possibly kill him just like the Hoshidians had to kill their parents. On top of that, he had to think of Xander all the time. 

 

“You too…? I’m a little happy I’m not the only one,” he mumbled, making her pull him closer. “I’m sorry, Leo. I’m so scared of what will happen. I know we’ll have to fight Father, but… but… I…” she sobbed even more.   
Leo closed his eyes as he stroke over her hair, not capable of saying anything to reassure her. 

 

He peeked at Xander, who had picked up Elise and carried her around like he used to when she had a nightmare as a child. Back then he even sang songs to her, but he remained silent now. Slowly he turned his head at the Hoshidians. 

 

Ryoma still sat on the ground, Hinoka right next to him, her arm tucked into his. Takumi and Sakura were deeply embracing each other, while Corrin was just standing there silently. 

 

She slightly coughed as Ryoma slowly got up. “W-we have to continue, right…?” she mumbled in a shaking voice. Her brother sighed at her statement. “Corrin, would you grant us another little pause? I know we’re running out of time, but… we’ve just lost both our parents,” he noted. 

 

His sister sniffled, before she ran up to him and hugged him, crying bitter tears.   
“I-it’s not fair! W-why are you talking as if you’re talking about yourself, when you’re just concerned about me, Ryoma? I-I can’t hold us up!” she cried. 

 

Xander sighed beside Leo. He bobbed Elise in his arms, while looking at him as if he expected him to say something. There just wasn’t much he could say to her in order to reassure her. But right now, that didn’t seem to be in his power, but in the power of the Hoshidians. 

 

Ryoma laid his hand on her head. “It’s not just for you, but really for us as well. We all have to calm down after this. It won’t be for long,” he stated.   
Corrin sniffled as she slowly turned around to Xander and Leo.   
“D-do you think it’s okay?” she questioned. 

 

The blond sighed. He couldn’t say no to her crying face. He never could. And he knew neither Camilla, nor Elise or Xander could, either.   
“We’ll figure something out, Corrin. We shouldn’t continue as long as you guys are not okay anyway. That would only screw up our chances of winning,” Leo stated, trying to sound as pedestrian as possible. 

 

His sister looked at him sobbing as she slowly let go of Ryoma.   
She wiped her tears and sniffled.   
“Then… I’ll contact Lilith…” she mumbled.


	3. A sorrow shared is a sorrow halved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the tough battles at Gyges castle, Corrin decided to rest with the others.  
> She wants to be with her families in order to at least try to cope with the sorrow. However, not everybody is sharingher train of thought.
> 
> Takumi isn't with them. Leo goes looking for him with Azura

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter of this little series. I'm incredibly sorry to not have posted it earlier. It was finished for quite some time already, but I didn't find the time to proof read it. It probably still has lots of mistakes left; I'm sorry about that as well. If you find any, please point them out to me.  
> Also, I'm sorry for the terrible summary, just like always. I hope you don't mind.
> 
> Thank you to everybody who has read thus far and also for the really nice comments I got.  
> Now, I hope you'll enjoy at least a little.

“Leo! Come help me out here!” Elise shouted at him as she attempted on carrying a huge tray out of the kitchen stacked with way too many cups to even carry; at least for her. 

 

It looked as if Jakob had helped her stacking it, since he was truly a master at these kinds of things. Only steadily and very carefully he picked up some of the cups on top of the stack to carry them.  
“What are you doing there, Elise?” he asked confused, making her glare. “What does it look like? I made tea for Sakura-chan and her family. They need something to calm them down now,” she countered. 

 

Leo tilted his head, but smiled as he placed the cups on the table and took the tray off of her. “I see. Well, you shouldn’t stack everything like that then. It’s dangerous to walk like that,” he told her, resulting in a pout of hers. “But Jakob did it for me. He’s good at that. You should trust him more,” she said. Again Leo smiled at her.  
Sometimes it was hard to believe that a kind, selfless person like her was the child to someone as despicable as her mother. However, it was nice to see that the kindness King Garon used to have, was still inside the family, living on with her.  
“I trust him. You just shouldn’t be carrying all of this on your own. Let me help you,” he stated. She nodded. 

 

“Well, that’s what I wanted in the first place,” she answered as she placed one cup on a different, smaller tray. She pushed it up to him. “So then, bring this to Takumi-nii’s room. As far as I know he’s alone right now, so cheer him up. I’ll go to Corrin then,” she stated.  
He knew he said he wanted to help her out, but it wasn’t like he helped her a lot. After all, he only carried one cup, while she had the rest of them. 

 

On top of that, he wasn’t sure what to say when the door was opened for him. “Hi, Elise thought you might be feeling down, so she made you some tea. I’m just the delivery boy” would certainly sound stupid. He knew he was struggling and he wanted to help him, yet there was nothing he could think of that would make him feel better in any way. He wasn’t part of this and he knew that if it were him, he wouldn’t want any outsider at his side, who didn’t understand his pain, yet it felt horrible to not be able to even remotely help the guy he had so deeply fallen in love with. 

 

Leo sighed as he slightly knocked on the door, secretly hoping not to be heard.  
For a while he stood there, staring at the door, without getting any response whatsoever.  
Steadily, he knocked again, but again didn’t get any response.

 

He rolled his eyes, before he slowly opened the door, just to stand in an empty room. Leo raised an eyebrow as he entered unsurely. He placed the tray on a little table in one corner of the room, before looking around. 

 

Even though he had been here before, it felt surprisingly unfamiliar right now. Perhaps that was because Takumi wasn’t there. A little desk, stocked with books, sketches and drafts, was placed near the small table he had placed the tray on. Next to it stood two shelves full of the books about Vallite language, culture and history that they had found together and bunkered in his room.  
Usually he would love to sit down and read them, but now he couldn’t even think of it. Only from a distance he inspected the books, as he examined the shelves. In one of the middle shelves a small, framed painting of Queen Mikoto was placed. Leo sighed as he thought at the warm smile she had on her face after her own son had pierced her with an arrow. Her smile had looked even more beautiful than on this picture. 

 

“What are you doing here?” he suddenly heard Azura’s voice, making him wince. Slowly he turned around as he more and more started feeling caught doing something he shouldn’t have done. Sheepishly he started smiling at her, which only made her cross her arms in front of her chest. She repeated: “What are you doing here?”  
Leo slightly bit his lip, feeling more and more embarrassed as she pierced him with her eyes.  
“Elise told me to bring tea… for Takumi… but apparently he’s not here…” he said dumbfounded. 

 

Azura sighed, before she started laughing. “You’re almost cute, when you are flustered,” she stated giggling.  
How nice that his nervousness was to her amusement. To him it was just embarrassing, since he seemed to lose his entire ability to articulate himself properly. 

 

“I actually was hoping to find Takumi here, too, but it seems he’s not here,” she noted as she came up to him, observing the shelf, just like he had before.  
She smiled softly as she looked at it. “I can’t believe he actually found literature on Vallite language and culture. And so much at that…” she noted as she observed the books. Leo titled his head, but quickly understood. “Ah… yes, it took us quite some time to collect so many books,” he noted casually.

 

Azura looked at him in an asking manner for a while, but then started smiling. “You started spending a lot of time with each other, hm? I’m happy you’ve gotten to like each other so much,” she stated, making Leo blush. “Well, it’s hard to dislike someone that is so similar to me in terms of taste. I still wish I could have just stayed away from him, though” he mumbled, which made her look at him asking for a minute.  
“How come? I thought you liked him,” she questioned, making Leo blush as he realized he had said too much. He laid his hand on his forehead and sighed. “I do… way too much, if you ask me,” he mumbled. Azura started smiling softly, but also chuckled slightly. 

 

“So you like him in that way…” she murmured to herself, before she slightly looked at him again. “How are you feeling about that?” she asked almost rhetorically. The blond sighed. “Not too well. I never wanted to fall for him so deeply. But right now, I don’t care about that. I kind of… just want to help him, but I don’t really know how I can do that,” he answered.

 

Suddenly, Azura took his hands. “Will you look for him with me? That’s one way of helping him,” she asked.  
He tensed up as she pulled him with her, out of the room. “I’ll look for him around the river. You could look in the library. Let’s go!” she said enthusiastically, before starting to move. Slowly  
Leo started walking towards the library while still slightly looking after her in an asking manner.

 

He looked around the library as he entered. For a moment, he was dazzled, not quite knowing what to do and where to start looking for him. He narrowed his eyes as he started heading to the tables, which were near the windows.  
Quickly he spotted Takumi, sitting on a chair, while clenching onto the Pursuer. Leo sighed slightly stressed, but walked up to him. He casually sat down beside him, which made the Hoshidian peek at him, but not react.

 

“Azura and I are looking for you. Shouldn’t you be with your family, rather than here all alone?” the blond asked sloppily after a while of silence. The silver haired pressed the bow against his chest. “Would you be able to even look your siblings in the eye after you’ve killed their mother?” he asked in return. Leo sighed, but thought about that for a while.  
He wasn’t quite sure what to answer to that.  
As far as he remembered Camilla and Elise were quite relieved when they heard that their mothers had died. Both of them had been abused and used by them for many years. However, being the person to have killed them himself would probably be a different story.  
“I don’t know. All of us never had a happy life with our mothers. That is… apart from Xander, I guess,” he stated as he looked outside the window. “But if that’s the way you think, then just try to think about it from a different perspective…” he stated lost in thoughts. 

 

Takumi turned his face to him in an asking manner. Leo looked at him, but immediately turned his face away from him again as he saw that he actually had tears in his eyes. He couldn’t help but start blushing, because the tears made his eyes look even more beautiful than they already were.

 

He slightly coughed. “What I mean is… well, your Father was a big part of your family, wasn’t he? I bet you could feel safe as soon as he was around. You said, he supported you, when you picked up the bow instead of the sword, so I assume you loved him just as much as your mother, right?” he made sure, making Takumi nod slightly confused.  
“You see, I love my father, too. He might be cruel, but I can’t help but remember all the nice memories I have of him. Same goes for Xander and Camilla. I don’t know what will happen from here on out, but we are probably going to have to fight him, too. When that day comes…” Leo sighed. 

 

“Xander said he would have to slay him,” he started out, not quite knowing where he wanted to go with what he said. “However, I know I won’t be able to hold Xander up, even if every part of me is screaming to not let him kill Father. Azura said our father has probably long died already, so Xander’s actions will only be logical. So when that day comes, I will want to be able to stay by my brother’s side and stand through everything with him, because I know he feels the same way I do,” he explained. 

 

He knew he was basically revealing himself and all the fears he had, but it also felt nice to get that off his chest. He started smiling at Takumi. “Don’t you think you should give your siblings a chance of standing by your side after you went through all that agony?” he asked. 

 

Takumi looked at him rather long, before he tore up. Leo winced.  
Had he said anything wrong? He thought he had gotten his point across well! Why was he crying?

 

Suddenly the silver haired hugged him, making him blush deeply and turn his face away.  
“I-I’m sorry… I… I shouldn’t have… I didn’t mean to…” he stuttered panicking. “Why are you apologizing?!” Takumi cut him short.  
He couldn’t expect him not to apologize, when he tears up like this. Of course he would assume it’s his fault. “Uh, well… you’re crying… even more than before,” he stuttered. Takumi pulled his chair closer as he snuggled more onto him. 

 

It was starting to get uncomfortable to be this close to him. Leo began to get scared. He shouldn’t touch him.  
“Don’t apologize, you idiot…! You’re right… It’s me who’s at fault. I’m just so scared,” the Hoshidian said silently. 

 

Well, Leo was too.  
He was scared he would make a terrible mistake remaining this closely to Takumi, but he couldn’t just push him away, either. 

 

Slowly Takumi looked up to him, his eyes still watery. “Do you think my siblings will forgive me?” he asked silently. The blond sighed rather helplessly, since he was sure he was blushing all over. “You don’t feel like you need to forgive your brother for killing your father, right?” he replied, making Takumi shake his head.  
“So, they won’t feel that way about you, either. It’s not about forgiving; it’s about standing by one’s side. They don’t feel differently from you,” Leo said calmly.  
The silver haired started smiling at him, his eyes still slightly wet, which made them shine brightly. 

 

The Nohrian blushed deeply as his friend slowly retreated from hugging him, yet still stayed uncomfortably close. 

 

Takumi tilted his head. “Your face is all red. Are you okay, Leo?” he asked concerned. Leo gulped, while turning his head away quickly. He held his hand in front of his mouth as he desperately tried to concentrate on something else. “Yeah, I’m fine. Today was rough. That’s all,” he mumbled embarrassed as he intensively stared at the carving of a fairy near a bookshelf. Takumi got up, before he pulled Leo’s face towards him. “Sure? You just told me something that must be bothering you. Aren’t you feeling insecure about that?” he questioned as he closed up. 

 

What was he doing?  
He should stop touching him like that; especially when his beautiful face was this close. 

 

Leo exhaled stressed as he got up as well and vehemently stared at the fairy carving, so that he wouldn’t have to look at him.  
“I’m okay… I trust you, so I don’t mind having told you that. Anyway if you accept that, you should go to your family. C’mon,” he demanded stressed as he started walking towards the entrance of the library.

 

Suddenly he felt Takumi lay his arms around him from behind, which made him tense up.  
“Wha-!” he gasped as he slightly turned around.  
“Thank you, Leo…” the silver haired mumbled. 

 

Slowly and insecurely, Leo stepped back until he bumped against the shelf. However, Takumi wouldn’t retreat. “Y-you don’t need to thank me… We… uh… We’re friends after all. I just want to help you…” he mumbled. Saying the word friends out loud still hurt a little; especially when Takumi was this close, he could touch him. Yet it was nice to be able to help him at least a little bit.  
“You know… you’re awfully cuddly right now. How come?” he noted, while laying his hand on his back. Takumi laid his head on his shoulder and sighed.  
“I was never with anyone in situations like these. Whenever I felt better, I would search my family’s company. And whenever I did, my mother and my siblings would give me a hug. That always felt kinda nice, so I figured it would feel nice now, as well,” he answered quietly. 

 

Leo chuckled.  
That sounded very cute. He let his hand run up his back to his neck.  
“And? How is it?” he asked slightly amused. Takumi laid his arms around his neck. “It’s nice…” he replied.  
Leo laid his second hand on his waist. 

 

What was he doing? He shouldn’t touch him so much. It was one thing, if Takumi innocently was doing it, but at least he should be able to keep a distance to him.  
Why couldn’t he? 

 

“Takumi… I’m sorry,” he murmured as he pushed the archer’s face up and closed up.  
He could feel him lay his hand on his chest as he closed up to him, but couldn’t feel him push against it.  
Steadily he laid his lips on the Hoshidian’s, still not feeling any resistance from him.  
However, a short while into the kiss, Takumi winced and vehemently pushed him away. He looked behind the bookshelf he was standing in front of, as he pushed him further away from him. 

 

Azura stepped out of from behind the shelf and looked at them smiling. “There you are. I’m glad you could find him, Leo,” she noted.  
Takumi froze at her sight, before vehemently turning his head away, not daring to look at her.  
She smiled softly as she took one of his hands, making him slightly peek at her.  
“Back then when Queen Mikoto died and also when you were a kid and a messenger with the message of King Sumeragi’s death and Corrin’s disappearance came home and even now… now that history seems to repeat itself: you have always been so tense and silent. Through all these messages of horror, you have kept a straight face; almost like a mask, while reassuring your siblings and suffering all alone,” she stated in a calm voice.  
Slowly she drew his hand closer, almost placing it on her chest. “Yet, you always seemed so relieved, when they would be with you in these tough situations. Don’t you think it’s time to stop that type of behavior then?” she finished. Her smile got more pained than before. 

 

Takumi sunk his head again, while weakly trying to pull his hand back.  
“Azura…” he sighed deeply, before he continued helplessly: “I apologize,” he said. Azura observed him suffering, but shook her head.  
“You don’t need to apologize for it. You did what needed to be done,” she said smiling, which made her brother shake his head.  
“Not about that… I’m sorry I never consider all of your feelings, just because I prefer suffering alone,” he mumbled, before he properly looked at her. “I’m not used to sharing my pain, but Leo said…” he stopped for a moment to glance at Leo.  
He slightly chuckled, while pushing some strands of hair out of his face. “Well, perhaps I should try to share my pain…” he finished. 

 

Azura’s face suddenly lit up. She looked at Leo for a while smiling slightly, before she hugged Takumi.  
“There’s no need to apologize for that, either. You’re our brother. We just want to stand by your side,” she mumbled with a shaking, yet excited voice. For a while, all three stood there in silence, until Azura started giggling.  
“Why am I crying…? How pathetic,” she mumbled. She distanced herself from Takumi a little and wiped her tears.  
“Will you come with me?” she asked. Takumi smiled softly as he got the pursuer and went along with her. Scantly she turned around to Leo once more. She nodded towards him, asking him to come along with her.  
The blond sighed, but followed them.

 

Slightly he peeked at them. The silver haired wore a calm expression on his face, which made him very self-conscious.  
What was he thinking after that?  
He couldn’t have been too pleasantly surprised about the kiss, but it wasn’t like he reacted at all. Even before, when he scantly looked at him, there was no reaction in his face.  
What was going to happen from now on?  
Leo had blown everything. They couldn’t be friends anymore like this. Takumi surely hated him now, even if he didn’t show it at all.

 

Suddenly, he felt Azura brush her elbow against his arm. She smiled at him slightly, before whispering: “You seem pretty good at handling him. I would have never been able to convince him to come with me.”  
Leo clenched his teeth. He was pretty sure he just wanted to get away from him like that. It was Azura’s fault for basically taking him with them. 

 

 

A corridor led them to the communal room of the eastern wing of the building, which was when Takumi stopped. He looked at the door as if he wasn’t even sure whether to open it or not. He tensed up and looked at Azura and then scantly at Leo, which made him feel very much out of place and uneasy.  
“Don’t hesitate,” Azura said in a soft voice. He nodded scantly and laid his hand on the door handle to slowly push it down. 

 

Inside the room, Corrin and Sakura sat at the big table, facing the door, while Hinoka was sitting across from them, her head sunken. Ryoma was leaning against a wall, staring at the floor. It was almost completely silent apart from Corrin’s constant apologies. She held one of Sakura’s hands, while chanting things like: “I’m sorry…” and “I dragged all of you into this…”  
Sakura slightly looked up as the door opened, which made everybody else follow her action. Ryoma’s eyes widened as he saw Azura and Takumi standing in the doorway. He quickly walked towards them, which made his little brother sink his head even more than before.  
“Ryoma… I-” he started out, before his brother wrapped his arms around him and buried his face in his shoulder.  
“Whatever you’re trying to say, don’t say it. It’s not your fault,” he murmured under his breath. 

 

Slowly, he lifted his head to look at Azura and Leo. The blond winced as he saw his wet eyes. This strong man was at the verge of tears, yet smiled at the two of them so appreciatively. Leo quickly looked at Azura, who sunk her head quietly.

 

When Ryoma let go of his brother Corrin, Hinoka and Sakura gathered around them almost simultaneously.  
Hinoka looked at him half-angry, half-exhausted. She grabbed his hand and pulled him slightly towards her. “How dare you always make me worry like this?!” she shouted at him sniffling. Takumi winced, but otherwise didn’t react and just let her continue to shout at him. “You always try to do everything on your own! You always try to shoulder all your pain alone!” she shouted excited, before exhaling slightly and laying her head on his chest.  
“Don’t you understand that it’s situations like these that I’m most worried about you…?” she mumbled.

 

Takumi shortly peeked at Leo, who probably looked completely thunderstruck by the whole situation in front of his eyes. But what else could he do?  
He felt like, if he were to move, he would destroy this whole situation, but as long as he didn’t, he felt more than just misplaced and, quite frankly, he felt like he witnessed something he should not witness.  
“There’s no need to be worried about me, Hinoka…” Takumi mumbled. He slightly moved her away from his chest to take a proper look at her. A soft smile appeared on his face. “I’m sorry… I never wanted you to worry. I thought it would be better to stay away from you, so you wouldn’t need to worry about me,” he explained himself, making her slightly smile as she laid her head on his chest again. “Stupid little brother…” she murmured silently.

 

 

Leo inhaled as he slowly moved away from the communal room. He shouldn’t be there. He should be with his own family right now, probably. He had to stand by Xander’s side right now. There was no way today didn’t strike him deeply.  
He started walking faster as he turned around the corner.  
At that moment he heard someone say his name and grab his sleeve. He winced and turned around to see Takumi, which made him wince once more. He didn’t carry the bow with him anymore. 

 

Right! He probably wanted him to apologize for suddenly kissing him.  
“Uh… I’m so-” he started out, when suddenly Takumi laid his arms around him. He pulled him a little closer, smiling softly.  
“Thank you,” he whispered in a soft voice. Then he pushed him further around the corner and laid his hands around his neck, before kissing him lightly. Leo stood there completely dumbfounded, not knowing what to do in the slightest. 

 

He kissed him…  
He actually kissed him, even though he hadn’t reacted at all before, when Leo had approached him.  
He kissed pretty well even…  
What should he do?  
Should he react to it?  
Should he reject?

 

Slowly, while still not capable of thinking straight, he placed his hand on his waist, before just as slowly pulling him closer. He started replying shyly, but quickly deepened the kiss.  
Takumi giggled into it as he loosened the kiss. While his arms remained around Leo’s neck, he got a slight distance to him. “Please come to my room later on tonight,” he asked smiling, while laying his thumb on the Nohrian’s lips and brushing over them. The blond blushed deeply.  
He had always thought Takumi was rather shy, but he seemed anything but right now. Quickly, the silver haired turned around and walked off, leaving Leo back completely perplexed. 

 

 

Steadily, he came to his senses and started moving again, willing to find his siblings.  
He touched his lips. He couldn’t believe they had actually just kissed.  
Shouldn’t Takumi be mad at him, rather than kiss him again?

 

“Leo!” he heard Elise’s voice, making him wince and quickly turn around, hoping she hadn’t seen anything. “Oh, you’re here, too…” he mumbled, which made her tilt her head. “Yes, I’ve been looking for you. Takumi-nii wasn’t in his room, was he? I saw Azura look for him outside before,” she noted as she came closer to him. She observed him slightly. “Are you okay? Your face is all red,” she said.  
He nodded scantly as he took her hand. “I’m fine… I’m just… getting a bit melancholic. I’d like to see Camilla and Xander,” he mumbled truthfully. His little sister smiled as she tucked into his arm. 

 

“Good, that’s why I wanted to find you. Xander said we should leave the Hoshidians and Corrin alone for now, but we should gather as well. He said he’d wait for us in his room,” she stated. Leo exhaled stressed, before he slightly brought himself to chuckle. “I guess that’s a human instinct,” he noted whispering. Elise looked up at him and tilted her head.  
“Human instinct?” she repeated questioning.  
Leo looked down to her and smiled. “Well, we might not be affected by today’s events the way the Hoshidians and Corrin are, but we can’t claim that it has left us cold, right? I assume Xander might feel like it’s better to be with his family right now, rather than alone. I think that might just be a human instinct in order to cope with the sorrow,” he explained himself. Elise smiled sadly.  
She came closer to him, but didn’t say a word anymore as they walked down the corridor, hand in hand.

 

 

When they arrived at the door to Xander’s room, Leo was about to knock, when Elise almost scoldingly said: “Don’t knock. We’re family.”  
The older smiled softly, before he opened without knocking. Camilla and Xander sat at the table, which stood right in the middle of the room, next to the big bed. The crown prince looked off the table towards the door, when he heard them enter.  
He smiled relieved as he saw them. “I’m glad you could find him, Elise,” he said. The young girl pulled her older brother with her towards the table, him only barely able to close the door, before she did. Leo sat down beside Camilla, who had tears in her eyes. She scantly looked at him, before she turned her face away from him. She pulled a tissue out of a box that was placed on the table.  
“Sorry… please don’t look…” she mumbled silently. Leo raised an eyebrow, but didn’t react. 

 

Xander sighed as he laid his hand on her arm. “Camilla, there’s no point in hiding your tears,” he stated, which made her sniffle. “But I’m their big sister. I have to be strong for them,” she whispered. Leo sighed just like his older brother had.  
“It’s okay, Camilla. You don’t always have to put up a smile just for us. We’re not children anymore,” he said.  
She had always been like that. 

 

 

When she was a teenager, she had gotten severely injured on her right arm, which was the reason why she chose to become a Malig knight, so that she wouldn’t constantly have to fight with physical strength only. She would often simply just switch to magic, because her arm was getting weaker. Back then, she had been attacked by… it had been Leo’s mother, during the concubine wars.  
Leo remembered he had cried bitter tears, when he visited her in her room, apologizing to her for what his mother had done.  
Up until that point he had always been scared of her, since she rarely talked to him and would only look at him rather intimidatingly. However, back then it was different. She had laid her hand on his head and, for the first time in his life, she smiled at him softly. Her words were: “I’m going to be fine. It’s not your fault, so you shouldn’t apologize to me, Leo.” He looked up at her smile, thinking it was the most beautiful expression she could wear. 

However, back then he couldn’t tell her quite appropriately how much he liked her smile and that he would love to see her smile like that more often, so he just started crying again and apologized even more, this time, without having any reason to doing so. 

 

Nevertheless, not even that had made her stop being so kind. She had signed him to sit down on the bed and started embracing him with her one arm that wasn’t injured. 

 

Since that day they started feeling like a family a lot more. The concubine wars continued, but Camilla would always protect him and later Elise as well, from any harm. Up until this day, Leo hated himself for never being able to do the same for her in return. It had always been Xander, who would protect her.

 

 

“He’s right, Camilla! Don’t force yourself. We know you’re sensitive,” Elise raised her voice, which made Camilla peek at her and begin to slightly smile.  
She embraced Leo and Elise simultaneously, before she kissed their foreheads. “You’re both so sweet,” she mumbled as she released them. Xander rested his head on his hand and smiled as he watched them. 

 

“I told you they would be able to make you feel better, Camilla. It’s good to gather as a family in a situation like this, don’t you think?” he pointed out. The Malig knight exhaled slowly. She looked at him almost begging. Leo sighed as well. “You’re both concerned about the same thing, right?” he asked both his elder siblings, making them both raise an eyebrow.  
“What?” Camilla asked, before she looked at Xander, who leaned back. 

 

“Xander, the reason you wanted us to gather is because you fear we can’t cope with the situation at hand, isn’t it?” Leo tried to clarify. The crown prince nodded, which made his little brother turn to Camilla.  
“And you are mentally exhausted, because of what happened, right?” he made sure. She nodded. Leo sunk his head. “You’re suffering with them, because you’re so empathetic, but that’s not all there is to it, right? Aren’t you scared?” he pressed further, which made her lean back in her chair. 

 

“I am,” she replied. She bit her lip. “I’m scared of what awaits us. Azura and the Hoshidians had to endure so much pain and suffering throughout this journey and I’m starting to get worried of what might happen to us then,” she started out. However, her voice suddenly cut off. She gulped. “We already know that Father is no longer himself. He’s already one of Anankos’ puppets, just like the former king and queen of Hoshido were. So we will have to encounter Father as well.” She sniffled a little as she took one of Elise’s and one of Leo’s hands. “I’ve always been trying to protect you two, but I don’t see me protecting you from that. It hasn’t even happened yet and I already know that I’ve failed,” she sobbed. 

 

So, her situation really was the same as Xander’s. The crown prince threw his head back and chuckled slightly. “I sure didn’t hope for this. I wouldn’t have wanted you to beat yourself up over this as much as well, Camilla. I’m so sorry,” he said. The violet haired looked at him asking.  
“What…?” she asked confused.  
Xander first looked at Leo with a pained expression on his face, but then back at her. “Don’t beat yourself up so much over this. I am the eldest. No matter what will happen, I am not going to let any harm happen to you guys,” he made a pause, seemingly to merely look at the ceiling. “It is my duty as the eldest son to slay our father. None of you will have to do it; you won’t even have to watch. Just make sure… to stay by my side afterwards, please,” his voice started trembling more and more. He bit his lip and looked back at the ceiling. 

 

Elise shook her head furiously. She vehemently stared at the table.  
“Camilla, Xander, you idiots! D-don’t say that! Y-you’re so wrong; both of you!” she sniffed.  
Leo titled his head in confusion. Never in his life had he heard Elise call Camilla, or Xander an idiot. Seemingly, they hadn’t, either, since they looked just as confused as him. Elise looked up to her sister with tears in her eyes. She let go of her hand and looked her deep in the eye, before switching to Xander. “We’re family! You… you don’t have to shoulder our sorrow as well! You’re both not machines; stop acting like you have to be,” she stuttered, not being able to accurately articulate her feelings. Leo slightly chuckled, before he let out a sigh. 

 

“She’s right! You’re both huge idiots. Up until now, we’ve gone through the same things as you guys have. We’re just as scared as you are. Heck, who wouldn’t be?!” he made a pause as he grabbed both of Camilla’s hands. “But you don’t need to feel like you have to protect us from what is coming. We’re not as immature as you might think we are and quite frankly… I don’t even think it is possible to shield us from this anyway. So why struggle?” he said as he looked at her smiling calmly. Then he looked at Xander. “Doesn’t what Elise said sound familiar to what I said back then? You don’t need to be perfect in a situation like this. No one in the Empire is going to see you, so they won’t be able to judge you, even if you tear up and break down. And we, who have seen you fight and struggle, won’t, either,” he explained. 

 

Elise sniffed once more, but then hit the table. “Yeah! T-that’s what I meant to say!” she exclaimed, which made Camilla slightly smile again. She exhaled as she signaled for Elise to come closer, so she could hug her. She held her tight, while laying one of her hands on Leo’s head. “You said that very well. Thank you, sweetie,” she said silently. Then she threw her head back and laughed out. She took a look at Xander. “Geez, Xander! They have both outgrown us. We should be the mature ones and calm them down, yet it’s the other way around,” she stated with hinted laughter in her voice. For the first time Xander got himself to smile a bit. “Yes, I know. Leo has already shown me quite some time ago,” he giggled slightly relieved. Camilla pulled Elise closer. She exhaled. “I was skeptical, when you suggested meeting up, Xander, but I feel better now. I guess you do know what’s best after all,” she stated.

 

Suddenly, someone knocked at the door, making them all wince like rabbits. Leo got up to get it. He tilted his head as he opened and saw Corrin stand in front of him. “What are you doing here?” he asked way too boldly. She smiled at him scantly.  
“If it weren’t for you being you, I would be mad at you now,” she replied. He stepped aside and let her enter. She did along with Azura following her. Leo winced. He hadn’t even seen her. Corrin exhaled at first, not quite knowing what to say. “I thought I should come and be with you guys, too. You’re my family after all,” she mumbled. Leo sat down again, before he pushed a chair towards her, signaling for her to sit down. She refused by looking at Azura, who then sat down. Corrin remained standing for a while longer, even though Camilla attempted as well to seat her little sister. 

 

“Corrin, you should say what’s on your mind. Just before you only started feeling better when you did, as well,” Azura stated. The young princess sighed soundly. “I’m sorry,” she started out to which she only received a “For what?” from Xander.  
She bit her lip as she heard that reply. “I brought you all into this mess. When I decided to take this path, I didn’t know what was waiting ahead for me, but I would have never expected all of you to join me in this battle. And on top of that…” she made a pause to look at Leo in a begging manner. He flushed. Whenever he saw her like that, he started feeling sick and guilty; as if he could have prevented her from suffering. Quickly her eyes went to the ground again. “…on top of that, I would have never expected to draw you guys into a battle of having to fight your own parents. Azura and everybody else have already gone through all of that. I can imagine you are scared of what is going to await you, too. I wish I hadn’t dragged you all into this…”

 

“Nonsense!” Leo raised his voice and got up. Then he winced at his sudden outburst and looked around at his quite collected-looking siblings. He sat down again in embarrassment and coughed slightly. “W-what I mean is… don’t apologize for taking this route. I told you already. It was good that you did. I’m glad I am here with you and my family. I’m happy I could make my peace with people I always deemed to be my enemies. That’s all thanks to you,” he started out, while not capable of thinking out how to word his thoughts properly. He sunk his head and continued: “The right path is never the easiest. It’s the most rigorous and painful, but we can’t just go back when we’re already half-way there. You’re right, we are scared, but that doesn’t mean that we’re not going to draw our swords and fight.” 

 

For a moment, the whole room was silent, which made him feel very uncomfortable.  
Had he said too much?  
Certainly he had! And it was bound to be idiotic in the eyes of everyone.  
What had he done?!  
He shouldn’t speak his mind so openly all the time. He had to look stupid now.

 

Suddenly Corrin and Xander both started giggling, which made him feel even more self-aware. He blushed deeply out of embarrassment, when his big brother patted him on the back. “You don’t often hold speeches like that, but you always do at the right moment,” he stated as if he wanted to cheer him up. Corrin took his hand and drew it closer to her chest. “What would I do without you, Leo? You always say the right things,” she said.  
He didn’t. He had already said so much dumb stuff that he had lost track of counting. If he actually knew the amount of times, in which he said something dumb, because he wasn’t able to read the situation properly, he would probably want to curl up and die. 

 

“W-w-w-what do you mean? That was weird. It wasn’t helpful at all… Gosh!” he stuttered, while his sister started laughing. She laid her head on his shoulder, making him tense up. He looked at Azura, who merely smiled at him.

 

“I think I saw Ryoma cry for the first time ever today,” Corrin started out calmly. Then she looked at Xander. “He always seemed to be some kind of pillar of strength, to whom the others could always talk and he would be able to find some kind of solution to their problems. He felt so vulnerable today. I can’t help but think that’s my fault,” she continued, before she slowly distanced herself from Leo. She looked at the table, but then glanced at Xander, who was only sitting there listening. “You have that same impact on me, Xander. I guess I’m still just a kid to think that you guys can’t show weakness as well.”

 

Elise snorted. “That’s because Xander never shows his weaknesses anyway, even if he wants to. How would you be able to know, when he constantly acts so high and mighty in front of you?” she responded, which made her older brother look at her confused. Leo giggled. She was right, but he wouldn’t have expected her to put it so bluntly.  
“Just now I told all of you about how I felt about this situation. How is that acting high and mighty?” he came back at her, making her roll her eyes. “For the first time ever, you have talked to us about what’s on your mind. Has never happened before, though,” she countered. Now Camilla started giggling, as well, even though she was just as guilty of this as her older brother. He blushed and turned his face away from them. “I’ll never do that again. You guys are horrible,” he whispered. 

 

At that moment Corrin jumped up and bashed her hands on the table. “Xander! I-I actually just wanted to tell you… uh…” she stopped for a moment to think properly about what she was going to say. “Seeing that side of Ryoma today… it… it hurt… so much, but… but it made me feel like I got to know him better. I think I grew closer with the Hoshidians as a family through all of this. I… I’m so scared of the future, but I’m glad I’m going to face it with both my families and not alone. So, Xander… guys… please let me grow closer together with you as well by facing whatever the future holds for us as a family!” She smiled at them, while tears ran down her face. 

 

Azura smiled satisfied as she got up and hugged her. “You said that nicely. I’m glad, to have also met my other family,” she said quietly. Shortly afterwards Camilla and Elise got up as well and embraced both of them.  
“Azura-nee-chan! We’re so happy to have met you, too!” Elise cheered. The blue haired smiled and laid her hand on her head. Xander and Leo looked at each other in an asking manner. Then the elder got up and signaled his younger brother to join them in the group embrace.

 

After a while Corrin started laughing. “You’re all so sweet,” she laughed out happily. Finally they loosened the embrace. Corrin smiled calmly at them. “Thank you,” she said, which made Xander lay his hand on her head. “We should thank you, Corrin,” he stated, before he exhaled.  
“I think we should go to bed now. We have to fight tomorrow,” he said. 

 

 

“Leo!” he heard as he exited the room after everybody else had already left. Camilla brought Elise to bed and Xander was probably on his way to Ryoma.  
He might have said they should sleep now, but there was no way Xander was going to sleep just yet. He would certainly talk to Ryoma about what happened today. He turned around to see Azura, who smiled at him gently. “Are you going to see Takumi?” she asked, which made him blush deeply. 

 

How did she know all of a sudden?  
Did he tell her?

 

Leo looked to the ground. “Y-yeah… I was planning on doing that… H-he asked me to come after all…” he mumbled. Azura smiled happily. “I’m glad to hear you’re going,” she said. Leo scratched the back of his head. “Well, I can’t just not go… He said he would be waiting for me,” he mumbled. She smiled at him as if she knew that he wouldn’t only go, because he felt a sense of obligation to do so. 

 

“Please treat him well. I think he has really gotten to like you,” she asked him to. The blond raised an eyebrow. “Of course…” he answered slightly confused.  
She laughed. “You don’t get what I’m trying to tell you, do you?” she questioned.  
Well no! He didn’t even get that she was trying to tell him something to begin with. It just felt weird talking about Takumi like this.  
“Takumi is the last person I would have expected to ever get on good terms with a Nohrian. I’m glad you became his friend. I think through you, he opened up a lot more to the other Nohrians as well,” she explained.  
“You might be praising me a bit too much. The way we became friends felt so natural to me. I didn’t do anything special,” he said, which made her smile. “I’m sure Takumi thinks like that, too, which is why he managed to open up like that,” she explained. Then she patted his shoulder.  
“Still, he’s not the type of person to fall in love easily, so please treat him well,” she asked him to, before she turned around and went off. 

 

What was she even saying?  
Did she imply that Takumi had fallen in love with him?  
There was no way!  
She couldn’t be right with an assumption like that. 

 

 

Slowly, he walked into the direction of Takumi’s room.  
He stood in front of it for a while, not knowing whether or not to knock.  
Azura had really unsettled him with her comment.  
If it were true, he should be happy, but he shouldn’t try to get his hopes up, just because she said so. If he did, he would only end up more heart-broken than he already was.  
There was no way that was possible. He could only dream of that.

 

He inhaled deeply, before knocking on the door.  
Takumi opened only a slit wide to peek outside, before he opened up completely. 

 

Leo slightly startled as he saw him.  
He wore his hair open and instead of his usual attire, he wore a light Yukata. Probably he was already getting ready for bed.  
The silver haired stepped aside to let him enter. He smiled softly, which made Leo blush and hide his face as well as he could. 

 

“I’m glad you came,” he said.  
Leo nodded slightly. “Anytime…” he mumbled. He looked around, before he glanced at the Hoshidian, who closed the door. “How are you feeling?” he asked, which made Takumi look at the ground. He exhaled, while sitting down on his bed. “I’m not sure… Better, I guess. At least better than before,” he stated. He looked at the ceiling. 

 

“Everybody cried,” he stated before he made a pause. “I hate to see my siblings cry; especially Sakura…” he said, before looking at Leo.  
“I bet I sound selfish, don’t I? It’s just… she’s the only one that’s younger than me. I always felt I should protect her the way Ryoma and Hinoka have always protected me… When she tears up like that, I feel like I’ve failed at that. Do you understand what I mean?” he explained. Leo started smiling slightly as he sat down next to him.  
“I do,” he answered. “I pretty much feel the same way about Elise.”  
Takumi chuckled scantly to that reply. “So I’m not the only one who is selfish,” he mumbled. Then he laid his head on his shoulder. “What about you? How are you feeling?” he asked back. Leo sighed as he felt his heart beat faster. 

 

“Why are you asking? It’s not like I went through the same thing as you guys did,” he asked in reply. Takumi approached slightly. “So? Just before, you told me you fear what the future holds for you and your family. Isn’t that enough reason to be concerned about your well-being right now?” he pressed further.  
Leo sighed as he felt his heart beat faster. “I’m okay. We were spending time together as well. We all share the same fear, but we can pull through; I’m sure,” he answered.  
“A sorrow shared is a sorrow halved,” the Hoshidian answered. Leo chuckled.  
“Look who’s talking. I wouldn’t have expected that to come from you,” he said. Takumi looked at him smiling.  
“Even though you basically pushed that mentality onto me, when you and Azura dragged me out of the library,” he countered. “Yet, I’m grateful to you guys. It feels a lot better to be with everybody rather than alone. I think I’ve never learned that,” Takumi said after a while.  
“Well, it’s never too late to learn…” Leo answered. The silver haired chuckled scantly.  
Leo smiled, but turned his face away feeling the heat shoot into it even more. 

 

Why did he have to have these feelings?  
He loved spending time with him like this. He loved talking to him so casually, like friends. He loved being with him, but these feelings had to get into the way of their friendship.  
Why couldn’t he just be his friend?

Silence filled the room for a seemingly endless while.  
“Leo?” Takumi asked suddenly, which startled him from his thoughts. He slowly turned his face back to him, while hoping that he wasn’t blushing too deeply. “May I ask you something?” his friend asked politely.  
Leo nodded.

 

“Why did you kiss me before?”  
Of course he was going to ask that. Leo was sure that question was the entire point of Takumi asking him to come here anyway. He just hadn’t imagined him to ask so bluntly. 

 

“I’m sorry about that. I didn’t think clearly. Please forgive me,” he tried to state as relaxed as possible. The silver haired shook his head as he got a slight distance to him.  
“I didn’t ask for an apology, Leo,” he said, now in a slightly stricter tone.  
Leo sighed. If he told him the truth, he could potentially ruin their friendship forever. However, if he didn’t tell him, or if he only gave him a very insufficient answer, Takumi would be mad at him. And it sure wasn’t easy to get back on good terms with him again, as soon as he was mad. Additionally, Takumi was incredibly good at sensing a lie. 

 

“I don’t think you really want to know why. Like I said, I wasn’t really thinking straight… Y-you looked very pretty… and you were so close… I’m sorry…” he mumbled and already knew that he was giving a less than sufficient reply.  
He felt Takumi pull his shirt, so that he would have to face him. The next thing he did was slapping him hard.  
Thunderstruck, Leo held his cheek and looked at his friend, whose face had gone red with rage. 

 

“Would I ask if I didn’t actually want to know?! Don’t act like such an imbecile and answer me properly! Am I really just ‘pretty’ to you?! That’s it?!” he shouted at him. Leo clenched his teeth and grabbed onto the blanket. Of course he wasn’t just a pretty face to him. “I’m so happy to have found a friend in you and I don’t want to ruin it. Don’t you like being friends with me? Shouldn’t we just continue like this?” he asked silently. Takumi bit his bottom lip as the red in his face got deeper.  
He huffed as he pushed him onto the bed. “What are you saying…? If you’re my friend, then why won’t you talk to me?!” he took a deep breath, before he finally started looking him in the eye. Leo winced as he saw that he had tears in his eyes. Slowly, he pulled him onto him and embraced him. “You’re not just ‘pretty’ to me… You’re way more than that,” he whispered.  
Suddenly, Takumi sat up and pulled Leo with him. He laid his arms around his neck.  
The blond could feel his heart beating faster again. “Then talk to me,” he asked him to as he laid his head on his shoulder.  
“What do you expect me to say now?” Leo asked slightly exhausted. 

 

“What am I to you, if I’m not just a pretty face?” the silver haired asked.  
Leo chuckled. What a simple question, yet, it was so hard to answer.  
He laid his hand on his cervix.  
“First and foremost you’re my friend,” he started out simply. Takumi remained silent, even when Leo didn’t say anything anymore. “But I don’t know if I can keep on being friends like this…” he mumbled, which made Takumi wince slightly. Instinctively, the blond grabbed him tighter. “I want to forget about this kiss and yet… you don’t seem to let me,” he stated.  
“Can’t you think of any reason why I won’t?” Takumi asked back as he slightly distanced himself from him. Leo remained silent. He didn’t know how to answer that.  
Takumi sighed. “I kissed you back. I even ran after you for that sake,” he noted with a slight smile on his face, while his eyes were still wet. Leo blushed deeply. He laid his right hand around his waist and his head on his chest. “Do you really want me to say it?” he asked stressed. 

 

“Yes, please.” 

 

“I love you, Takumi,” Leo mumbled. Takumi smiled softly and pushed Leo’s face up. “Say it again,” he asked. Leo tilted his head. He blushed, but repeated his words, which made Takumi smile even more as he said: “Again.”  
“I love you.”  
The silver haired held his face in his hands and closed up as he said “again” once more as if he was in an ecstasy.  
“I love you.”

 

Leo kept repeating as Takumi kept on coming closer and eventually kissing him. Quickly Leo pulled him closer and deepened the kiss. Takumi smiled into it as he got more passionate. As Leo grabbed his thigh and pulled him closer, he moaned slightly and stopped. 

 

“Aaah… I-I’m sorry. You didn’t want that…?” the blond asked stuttering. Takumi shook his head, before he pushed him back on the bed and rolled down from him. He cuddled onto him. “No, it’s fine. I was just surprised,” he mumbled. Then he looked up to him. “I love you, too, Leo,” he said just as silently as Leo had. The young Nohrian tried staying calm as he heard him.  
It was hard to believe this was actually reality. He would have never even dreamed of hearing those words from Takumi.  
Perhaps this was just a dream after all.  
He laid his arms around him and pulled him closer.  
It felt so real and beautiful. 

 

“Will you hit me?” he asked to which he received a chuckle.  
“Excuse me?” Takumi asked amused. Leo pulled him even closer. “Hit me, so that I know I’m not just dreaming,” he explained, receiving another giggle from him. “I slapped you before already, though. Shouldn’t you know it’s not?” he asked back.  
“Yeah, but it was so hard, it might have knocked me out and now I’m having the best dream of my entire life, because of it,” the blond countered casually. Takumi laughed out. He freed himself from Leo’s embrace to sit up and lean over him. 

 

“For the fact that you’re so intelligent, you can have quite a simple train of thought at times,” he said. Leo smirked.  
“Are you insulting me? Even in my dreams, you’re still a sly jerk. I can’t even dream you cuter,” he replied. Takumi chuckled. “I know something better than hitting you, though,” he stated. He leaned in to kiss his neck.  
Leo tensed up at first.  
It was nice, but it could well be a dream still. 

 

Suddenly, the silver haired started sucking the flesh on his neck and bit it.  
Shocked, Leo pushed him away and touched the hickey. He looked at him in confusion. “Did you just bite me?” he asked.  
He wouldn’t lie: he did find that kind of sexy, but he sure wouldn’t have thought Takumi of all people would be able to casually give him a hickey.  
The Hoshidian smiled.  
“Will you believe it’s not a dream, or should I hit you after all?” he asked. For a while, the blond looked at him incredulously, while still holding the hickey. Then he started laughing. He pulled him closer. 

 

“I didn’t know you could be so flirty. I always thought you were shy,” he stated laughing.  
Takumi, once more, leaned over him. He smiled softly. “I don’t think you’re wrong. People often call me shy, when comparing me to Ryoma, because I don’t feel as comfortable talking to them, but…” he looked at the blanket, smiling. “…you always made me feel very comfortable; like when we studied together and searched the library together, even when we argued. I always felt happy to be with you. I want to make you feel that way, too. I guess that’s why I’m not shy around you.”

 

For a moment, Leo didn’t quite know how to react. He already did make him feel that way.  
Slowly, he reached out to lay his hand on his cheek. “You’ve always made me feel that way. I think that’s how I’ve fallen in love with you,” he replied. He received a smile.  
Takumi slightly distanced himself and sat up, which made Leo follow his action. They were both silent, but smiling. Takumi glanced at him, before he asked: “Would you like to stay overnight?”  
Leo looked at him confused. “Pardon?” he asked back, making the silver haired chuckle. “You’re thinking dirtily, aren’t you?” he questioned, making the blond blush in embarrassment. 

 

“Th-that’s not… you can’t deny that your question sounds a bit… alluring,” he mumbled. Takumi laughed as he laid his arms around his neck.  
“I’m aware, but I never would have dreamed for my feelings to be mutual with you. I always thought you disliked me. But you actually show that you reciprocate right now, when I’m nothing short of an emotional mess…” he started off, before looking at him with a calm expression.  
“I don’t know if it should, but that gives me a sense of security, because it seems like you could love me no matter how flawed I am. For now… I’d just like you to be with me, so I’m asking you to be here,” he explained. He laid his head on Leo’s shoulder. 

 

“Gee… I sound so clingy. It must scare you off,” he mumbled. Steadily, the blond laid his hand on his back and stroke it. “I’m a little overwhelmed right now,” he answered. Takumi snuggled onto him.  
“Because I’m clingy, right?” he said amused. Leo sighed as he pulled him closer.  
“No… but because I wouldn’t have expected you to feel that way. To think that you of all people would trust a Nohrian so far as to even feel secure with him… it just makes me very happy that I am the Nohrian you can lay your trust into,” he whispered almost more to himself than to Takumi. The silver haired chuckled. He stopped embracing him and looked at him. “That sounded very cheesy, Leo,” he pointed out, making the blond blush slightly in embarrassment. He turned his head away. 

 

“Look who’s talking… What you said sounded pretty cheesy, too. I just tried to answer accordingly,” he replied, receiving another chuckle from Takumi. “I didn’t mean it in a bad way. You were being cheesy, but what you said was also kind of romantic,” he stated calmly, again, making Leo blush, but this time not out of embarrassment.  
He sighed and leaned back against the wall.  
“You’re quite mean, making me say all that and then telling me I sounded lame,” he noted. Then he grabbed his hand and pulled him over him.  
He pulled his face closer and smiled satisfied. “I love you…” he mumbled as he pulled him into a kiss.  
Takumi replied contently.  
“I love you, too,” he murmured into the kiss. 

 

 

Almost naturally, Leo stayed overnight, even though Takumi didn’t ask again.  
They seemed to stay up later than they had intended to, talking about their families and their childhoods; how they had found their passion for reading and how they had loved studying about different cultures and languages as soon as they had started reading.  
He didn’t even remember when they started falling asleep. The last thing he remembered was that they were reading a book together. However, he seemed to have forgotten the content. Perhaps he had been too tired, but perhaps it was the occasional kisses Takumi gave him that might have dazzled him a bit too much. 

 

 

It was warm… warm and cozy.  
He hadn’t felt this comfortable in quite a while. 

 

Leo opened his eyes, but immediately got blinded by the light of day that shone through the curtains. He hid his face in the blanket and slowly opened them again, to get accustomed to the day light step by step. Then he raised his head, while trying to keep his eyes open.  
He looked around as his eyes steadily started getting used to the light of day. He glanced towards the window to see Takumi sitting by it, reading a book. 

 

He seemed to notice something, because he winced up from his reading material and looked at him. He smiled softly. “Good morning,” he said, before he started giggling.  
“You’ve got some terrible bed hair, Leo!” he stated, which made him grope along his head to feel his hair.  
“Well, I’m sorry I’m not as gorgeous as you are in the morning,” he replied sarcastically. Takumi smirked and got up. He walked towards the bed and sat beside him. He stroke through his hair, while smiling.  
“I love your bed hair. It makes you look less perfect. Gives you something human,” he stated, which made Leo sigh. “Something human, huh? Don’t I come off pretty human to you?” he questioned. Takumi shook his head. “Not at all. You’re always so perfect. It’s like there’s some divine aura around you, so it’s great when there’s not for a change,” he replied seriously.  
Leo chuckled. 

 

“Sounds like you’re talking about Xander. He sure is the perfect one with the divine aura. I dull beside him…” he mumbled.  
Takumi exhaled. “I’m talking about you, though. Prince Xander is not the one that concerns me; it’s you. You are the one that’s perfect to me,” he stated almost offended.  
Leo smiled as he laid his hand on his cheek.  
“Don’t say something so sweet so early in the morning,” he said. Takumi smiled back at him as he got closer, when suddenly, someone knocked on the door. He looked at it confused for a while, before he sighed and got up. 

 

He slightly opened the door to Camilla, who was looking at him first, but then quickly caught a glance of Leo, who was sitting in the bed. She smirked. “So, there you are, little brother. I was already getting worried about you, since I didn’t find you in your room, but…” she let her finger run along Takumi’s jaw. “It seems you were in best care.”

 

Leo jumped up and slightly pulled him away from her. “It’s not what you think… we just happened to…”  
His sister started laughing. “I know, I know. You’re both too sensitive to do that the first night after confessing your feelings to each other,” she replied, making both of them blush deeply. 

 

“Y-you knew…?” Takumi asked embarrassed. The violet haired laughed out. “We all knew. It seems like the only ones who didn’t know were you two,” she chuckled. Then she ruffled through Takumi’s hair. “You take good care of my little brother, okay, sweetie?” she stated, before glancing at Leo. “Gee, your bed hair is terrible again,” she pointed out.

 

Why did she have to embarrass him like this?  
He knew he looked terrible, but she didn’t have to point it all out so obnoxiously in front of Takumi.  
Camilla smiled as she waved to them. “I’ll have to tell Ryoma-san the news now. Please come to breakfast soon, okay? I’ll see you,” she said overly excited.


End file.
